Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the recruitment methods, study participation rate, and baseline characteristics of a representative sample of outpatients with COPD eligible for pulmonary rehabilitation participating in a trial of a lifestyle behavioral intervention to increase physical activity. SETTING AND DESIGN: A patient registry was developed for recruitment using an administrative database from primary care and specialty clinics of an academic medical center in northeast Texas for a parallel group randomized trial. RESULTS: The registry was comprised of 5582 patients and over the course of the 30 month recruitment period 325 patients were enrolled for an overall study participation rate of 35.1%. After a 6-week COPD self-management education period provided to all enrolled patients, 305 patients were randomized into either usual care (UC; n=156) or the physical activity self-management intervention (PASM; n=149). There were no clinically significant differences in demographics, clinical characteristics, or health status indicators between the randomized groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this recruitment process demonstrate the successful use of a patient registry for enrolling a representative sample of outpatients eligible for pulmonary rehabilitation with COPD from primary and specialty care. Moreover, this approach to patient recruitment provides a model for future studies utilizing administrative databases and electronic health records.