We would like to know you better. Tell us something about your professional and personal background.
Share also with the group why are you interested in spirometry.
Hi! I'm Pedro Fonte, from Portugal.
I work as a full time GP and a part-time university teacher. I'm doing my Phd in the field of COPD diagnosis so I am very much interested in spirometry.
Also, I'm a member of GRESP - the Portuguese group of respiratory diseases in primary health care - where I've been much involved in spirometry educational sessions.
At last, I'm the responsible for the Portuguese group in COPD Right Care.
I work as a full time GP and a part-time university teacher. I'm doing my Phd in the field of COPD diagnosis so I am very much interested in spirometry.
Also, I'm a member of GRESP - the Portuguese group of respiratory diseases in primary health care - where I've been much involved in spirometry educational sessions.
At last, I'm the responsible for the Portuguese group in COPD Right Care.
Hello! I'm Kazi Sarmad Karim, from Bangladesh. I'm currently working full-time as Scientific Officer at Fasiuddin Khan Research Foundation (FKRF). We provide home-based palliative care services in urban slums located in the capital city Dhaka in Bangladesh. As part of our diagnostics we test COPD patients using a spirometry machine, as we can only include COPD patients in our research project. Before starting the project we have been trained in a certificate course on Spirometry in Low-Resource Settings at the Bangladesh Primary Care Respiratory Society (BPCRS) under the guidance of Dr GM Monsur Habib, President, BPCRS. After completing the training I've been involved as part of the FKRF team in performing, evaluating, and interpreting spirometry results as part of our research project.
Hi, My name is Shami Jayasooriya, I am academic GP working both at the University of Sheffield and Page Hall Medical Centre which is a practice in a deprived area of Sheffield, England. Over 50% of clinical contacts with our patients at Page Hall Medical Centre require interpreters. We have smoking rates equivalent to the UK general population pre-the ban on smoking in public places, but diagnosed COPD rates similar to the current National Average. I have recently been awarded an NIHR advanced fellowship to explore COPD under diagnosis in these underserved patient populations. Working to build accessible spirometry in primary care will be of great importance. Hence my interest in this course.
I also hold a WHO consultancy role working with the Global Alliance for Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD). This involves growing the GARD community which can be joined by any individual for free through the WHO Knowledge Action Portal. It shares information about events, a noticeboard and resources from GARD member organisations including IPCRG. I have attached quick start guide for anyone interested in joining.
I'm Rui Costa, a specialist in General Practice in Porto, Portugal.
I used to be the coordinator of the respiratory diseases study group (GRESP) of the Portuguese Association of General and Family Medicine (APMGF).
I have an educational interest in the field of respiratory diseases, particularly COPD and spirometry.
Together with Pedro Fonte, I have already produced a leaflet on spirometry for family doctors.
I have taught many educational sessions on respiratory diseases and spirometry for General Practitioners.
Hello, I'm Maria Chorti from Greece.
I am a General Practitioner/Family Doctor and a certified Aeromedical Examiner working in solo private practice in Karditsa, Central Greece. I primarily focus on chronic metabolic diseases prevention and therapy.
I've always had an interest in respiratory diseases and I worked in FAME Lab for completing my MSc Thesis on ‘Effects of conventional and electronic cigarette smoking and second-hand smoke on lung function’. Since then I perform spirometry in my clinical practice in primary care.
I've also participated in the Greek UNLOCK study (Determinants of frailty in primary care patients with COPD) with Prof. Ioanna Tsiligianni.
I am a General Practitioner/Family Doctor and a certified Aeromedical Examiner working in solo private practice in Karditsa, Central Greece. I primarily focus on chronic metabolic diseases prevention and therapy.
I've always had an interest in respiratory diseases and I worked in FAME Lab for completing my MSc Thesis on ‘Effects of conventional and electronic cigarette smoking and second-hand smoke on lung function’. Since then I perform spirometry in my clinical practice in primary care.
I've also participated in the Greek UNLOCK study (Determinants of frailty in primary care patients with COPD) with Prof. Ioanna Tsiligianni.
Hello,
my name is Panagiotis Voulgaris and I am a Greek intern in General Practice. I am currently working on my thesis for my Master on the prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
My main interests are prevention and therapy of chronic diseases, respiratory medicine, smoking cessation as well as Health Promotion and Environmental medicine.
I am having a good time participating In the spirometry simplified program and I am enjoying it so far!
my name is Panagiotis Voulgaris and I am a Greek intern in General Practice. I am currently working on my thesis for my Master on the prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
My main interests are prevention and therapy of chronic diseases, respiratory medicine, smoking cessation as well as Health Promotion and Environmental medicine.
I am having a good time participating In the spirometry simplified program and I am enjoying it so far!
Hello All,
Greetings from India
My name is Deesha Ghorpade. I am a Public Health Scientist in the field of Respiratory diseases. As a part of my PhD research work, I was priviledged to have got an opportunity to develop a screening tool for COPD, tailor made for India.
At present I have been actively involved in the research, training and advocacy work related to lung oscillometry.
I am very passionate about training pulmonologists on the various advanced pulmonary function tests.
I eagerly look forward to learn more from the Spirometry Simplified workshop
Regards
Greetings from India
My name is Deesha Ghorpade. I am a Public Health Scientist in the field of Respiratory diseases. As a part of my PhD research work, I was priviledged to have got an opportunity to develop a screening tool for COPD, tailor made for India.
At present I have been actively involved in the research, training and advocacy work related to lung oscillometry.
I am very passionate about training pulmonologists on the various advanced pulmonary function tests.
I eagerly look forward to learn more from the Spirometry Simplified workshop
Regards
Hello! I am Dr. Maj. Monica Barne (Retd.), Director and Head of Training Programmes, Pulmocare Research and Education Foundation, Pune, India.
I am a medical doctor by training and have served the Indian Army as a commissioned officer for five years. Since 2008, I have been working in the field of obstructive airways diseases and am on a mission for 360° improvement in healthcare for patients suffering from Asthma and COPD through research collaborations, educational programs, and advocacy through CSR.
Over the years I have been responsible for initiating targeted training programs for Physicians, Pulmonologists, Paediatricians, Postgraduate and Undergraduate students, Respiratory Technicians, and Paramedics in the diagnosis and management of Asthma, COPD and Pulmonary Function Tests. I have been instrumental in training more than 15000 health care providers in public and private sectors in India, Africa, South-East Asia, and the Middle East through onsite and virtual training programs. My research is published in national and international journals. ORCID ID 0000/0002/4962/7985
I am a medical doctor by training and have served the Indian Army as a commissioned officer for five years. Since 2008, I have been working in the field of obstructive airways diseases and am on a mission for 360° improvement in healthcare for patients suffering from Asthma and COPD through research collaborations, educational programs, and advocacy through CSR.
Over the years I have been responsible for initiating targeted training programs for Physicians, Pulmonologists, Paediatricians, Postgraduate and Undergraduate students, Respiratory Technicians, and Paramedics in the diagnosis and management of Asthma, COPD and Pulmonary Function Tests. I have been instrumental in training more than 15000 health care providers in public and private sectors in India, Africa, South-East Asia, and the Middle East through onsite and virtual training programs. My research is published in national and international journals. ORCID ID 0000/0002/4962/7985
Hello,
I am Charalampos Vittorakis from Greece. I am working as a private General Practitioner/Family Doctor for almost 30 years.
I am the owner of a GP-Polyclinic in Platanias/Chania/Crete, working with a group of doctors and medical laboratories, so we examine patients of all ages and with any kind of medical problem.
Colleagues, medical students and nurses from Portugal, Ireland, Spain, Sweden and other countries came in our Polyclinic to follow educational programs organized by our group.
In Greece the majority of family doctors have limited experience in spirometry, due to the fact that over the years, pulmonologists are against GPs using spirometry.
I strongly believe that the position of the Greek General practitioners/Family doctors has to be improved, through education and use of spirometry in our daily praxis. So, I am glad to join this group with colleagues from all over the world, including my son Konstantinos and through this course to improve our skills in spirometry.
I am Charalampos Vittorakis from Greece. I am working as a private General Practitioner/Family Doctor for almost 30 years.
I am the owner of a GP-Polyclinic in Platanias/Chania/Crete, working with a group of doctors and medical laboratories, so we examine patients of all ages and with any kind of medical problem.
Colleagues, medical students and nurses from Portugal, Ireland, Spain, Sweden and other countries came in our Polyclinic to follow educational programs organized by our group.
In Greece the majority of family doctors have limited experience in spirometry, due to the fact that over the years, pulmonologists are against GPs using spirometry.
I strongly believe that the position of the Greek General practitioners/Family doctors has to be improved, through education and use of spirometry in our daily praxis. So, I am glad to join this group with colleagues from all over the world, including my son Konstantinos and through this course to improve our skills in spirometry.
Hello,
I am Konstantinos Vittorakis from Crete, Greece. Having just finished the training required for specializing in general practice, I am preparing for my final exam.
I consider this a great opportunity to learn more about spirometry, since I do not think it is elaborated upon as much as it should be while being trainees in our country.
I am Konstantinos Vittorakis from Crete, Greece. Having just finished the training required for specializing in general practice, I am preparing for my final exam.
I consider this a great opportunity to learn more about spirometry, since I do not think it is elaborated upon as much as it should be while being trainees in our country.
Hello, my name is Per Rönmark, from Sweden. I’m a GP since almost 30 years, I live in Nyköping (a bit south of Stockholm) and have been working there in a well-staffed and well-functioning primary health care center until three years ago. Since then, I work in Kiruna, north of the polar circle, in a healthcare center with almost no doctors in the regular staff and with a lack of nurses, too.
I have no academic merits, but I have always had a great interest in asthma, COPD, spirometry and inhalation technique. I’m a member of the board of NAAKA, the Swedish equivalent to IPCRG. In Sweden we have a special spirometry education in primary care, we call it “a driving license of spirometry”, a two-day education for asthma/COPD-teams (GP and asthma/COPD-nurse) and I’m one of the teachers.
I really look forward to seeing you al in Athen and exchange thoughts of teaching and learning spirometry, as it seems that many of you are involved in spirometry education in your own countries.
I have no academic merits, but I have always had a great interest in asthma, COPD, spirometry and inhalation technique. I’m a member of the board of NAAKA, the Swedish equivalent to IPCRG. In Sweden we have a special spirometry education in primary care, we call it “a driving license of spirometry”, a two-day education for asthma/COPD-teams (GP and asthma/COPD-nurse) and I’m one of the teachers.
I really look forward to seeing you al in Athen and exchange thoughts of teaching and learning spirometry, as it seems that many of you are involved in spirometry education in your own countries.
Hello to everyone!
I'm Theo Krassanakis. I'm an intern in the Family Medicine/GP in Greece. In parallel I'm a Phd candidate along the FRESHAIR4Life project, adressing the burden that smoking and air pollution poses on adolescents.
The specialty of GP requires close contact with people from rural areas, where smoking prevails. So, there is more than frequently the need for patients to have a spirometry. And since this takes too long to be scheduled in the main public centers, there is increased need to peroform and evaluate spirometry in smaller rural health care centers.
I'm Theo Krassanakis. I'm an intern in the Family Medicine/GP in Greece. In parallel I'm a Phd candidate along the FRESHAIR4Life project, adressing the burden that smoking and air pollution poses on adolescents.
The specialty of GP requires close contact with people from rural areas, where smoking prevails. So, there is more than frequently the need for patients to have a spirometry. And since this takes too long to be scheduled in the main public centers, there is increased need to peroform and evaluate spirometry in smaller rural health care centers.
Hello,
I am Marina Anagnostopoulou and i come from Greece. I am a specialized General Family Doctor and I work in the Public Health Care System of my country, especially in TOMY, units of Primary Health Care organized 6 years ago.
I am very happy and enthusiastic to follow Spirometry Simplified, because i would like to be able to occupy more effectively with my patients who suffer from COPD.
I would like to thank you for this chance to expand my knowledge and i will be glad to meet you.
Best regards to everybody!
Hello!
I am Greg Piperakis, GP. I currently work in the Hellenic NHS as a GP and personal doctor in the City of Chania, Greece. I am interested in providing my patients with better tailored care for respiratory diseases such as COPD and asthma.
I am Greg Piperakis, GP. I currently work in the Hellenic NHS as a GP and personal doctor in the City of Chania, Greece. I am interested in providing my patients with better tailored care for respiratory diseases such as COPD and asthma.
Hi, I am Dimitris Kounalakis from Greece.
I work as GP in Heraklion, Crete. My Phd is about Electronic Patient Records and Medical Classifications like ICPC2 and my master degree is about managing a medical unit.
This year, I decided to emphasize in pulmonary diseases and I started to study the ERS modules about Lung Ultrasound. Spirometry is also a must.
What it is usually missing from a textbook for spirometry is a lot of practical advices/tips to do or/and to avoid when I have a patient in front of me and I just observe something for the first time.
I work as GP in Heraklion, Crete. My Phd is about Electronic Patient Records and Medical Classifications like ICPC2 and my master degree is about managing a medical unit.
This year, I decided to emphasize in pulmonary diseases and I started to study the ERS modules about Lung Ultrasound. Spirometry is also a must.
What it is usually missing from a textbook for spirometry is a lot of practical advices/tips to do or/and to avoid when I have a patient in front of me and I just observe something for the first time.
Hello, I'm Vasileios Gkizlis. I am a General Practitioner/Family Doctor with a special interest in Diabetes from Greece. I am working in my private practice in a rural area in Central Greece. I was always interested in respiratory diseases and a believe that this programme is a great opportunity for me to practice in spirometry.
Hi! I am Biswajit Paul, from India. I am a primary care physician and a public health researcher with Chronic respiratory Disease being, one of my areas of interest. Our centre located in a rural area and we do manage CRD patients and use spirometer. I was in search of such a course which provides steep by step details of performing and interpreting spirometry.
I hope this will provide a better understanding and application of spirometer use in our settings.
I hope this will provide a better understanding and application of spirometer use in our settings.
Hello to everyone!
I am truly enthusiastic to be part of the group.!I am Alexandra a GP specialist,working currently in a public health centre in the northern area of Attica.Working for many years in a TOMY,and serving of population of 2500 enregistered patients,I became very quickly aware of the multiple needs that had to be met in the community.By means of an interdisciplinary team,we have succesfully adressed many educational programmes to the local community and new skills by the patients were acquired in terms of a better ,more efficient and holistic health approach .We raised awareness ,prevented and treat chronic metabolic diseases,chronic lung diseases such as COPD,asthma,ACOS etc but spirometry was out of reach because we are GPs.We can promote smoking cessation-myself I was actively engaged in the TITAN Crete Primary Care smoking Cessation Training since 2017,but not allowed to endulge in the assessment of my chronic lung patient.
I am truly enthusiastic to be part of the group.!I am Alexandra a GP specialist,working currently in a public health centre in the northern area of Attica.Working for many years in a TOMY,and serving of population of 2500 enregistered patients,I became very quickly aware of the multiple needs that had to be met in the community.By means of an interdisciplinary team,we have succesfully adressed many educational programmes to the local community and new skills by the patients were acquired in terms of a better ,more efficient and holistic health approach .We raised awareness ,prevented and treat chronic metabolic diseases,chronic lung diseases such as COPD,asthma,ACOS etc but spirometry was out of reach because we are GPs.We can promote smoking cessation-myself I was actively engaged in the TITAN Crete Primary Care smoking Cessation Training since 2017,but not allowed to endulge in the assessment of my chronic lung patient.
Well,therefore I am here to for the unequity to be restored¡