The Asthma Outreach Project: a promising approach to comprehensive asthma management.
We describe a pilot system of coordinated asthma care emphasizing home visits by a community-based lay worker collaborating with a pediatrician, pharmacist, and public health nurse. Study participants included 23 low-income children with moderate to severe asthma and their families at an inner-city pediatric clinic. This system was successfully implemented, and client satisfaction was extremely high. Utilization review showed a reduction in hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and unscheduled clinic visits, and an increase in follow-up clinic visits. This model of care may reduce unscheduled service use and deserves further study as an alternative for asthma management among similar patient populations.
Stout
J W
JW
Children's Hospital and Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
White
L C
LC
Rogers
L T
LT
McRorie
T
T
Morray
B
B
Miller-Ratcliffe
M
M
Redding
G J
GJ
D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003153:Community Health Services; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D018579:Patient Selection; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011204:Poverty Areas; D014505:Urban Population; D014600:Utilization Review