PATS / MECOR 2025 Foundational Spirometry Workshop
Vitalograph is proud to sponsor the 2025 Foundational Spirometry Workshop. Delivered by the Pan African Thoracic Society (PATS) under the ATS–PATS MECOR Programme (PATS MECOR). The training benefitted every part of the programme, from the quality of teaching to the confidence with which participants now approach day-to-day spirometry in their clinics and research sites.
The workshop welcomed 17 students from 14 countries, a truly pan-African cohort spanning clinical services, occupational health and research. Many arrived with limited or no access to reliable equipment and standardised quality control (QC), but left with a shared language for quality, a practical grasp of international standards, and the momentum to improve spirometry where it matters most—at the point of care.
Vitalograph's sponsorship underpinned the hands-on core of the course. With robust hardware and clear reporting, it was possible to teach acceptability, repeatability and documentation on systems that behave predictably. Daily verification was practised properly, and participants worked through a workflow they can replicate at home—turning theory into habit.
The workshop blended ten concise online theory sessions over six weeks with in-person, mentored practical’s at the PATS MECOR meeting in Kenya. As confidence grew, so did test quality: first attempts became clean, reproducible manoeuvres within a single session, and learners began to troubleshoot their own errors; exactly the behaviour that sustains quality improvement. Equipment was accessible throughout the week, and students practised into the evenings - sometimes up to midnight - to complete portfolio requirements for Certificates of Competence.
Feedback consistently highlighted how empowering it is to learn on equipment that “just works.” That clarity helps colleagues, especially in low-resource settings, advocate for sound workflows, mentor peers, and embed calibration, grading and reporting into routine practice.
"Vitalograph's partnership raised the standard of this workshop and will raise the standard of spirometry delivered by these 17 clinicians and scientists across 14 countries. Please accept our heartfelt thanks for investing in people who will carry these skills back to their communities." Lindsay Zurba, on behalf of the PATS Spirometry Programme
Vitalograph's reliable equipment, ready consumables, together with a calm, learner-centred timetable enabled faculty to stay beside learners and kept the focus on technique and interpretation. Momentum will continue through post-course mentoring and shared tools for QC, grading and reporting.