Results of an asthma disease management program in an urban pediatric community clinic.
OBJECTIVE
Asthma is increasing in incidence, but adherence to national diagnosis and treatment guidelines is poor. The Children's Asthma Management Program (CHAMP) was designed and implemented by nurse practitioners to address the problem of inconsistent asthma management.


METHODS
This is an outcome-based evaluation of a novel asthma management program in which practitioners created a structured mechanism for implementing national evidence-based asthma treatment guidelines.


RESULTS
Children who completed the program experienced an 85% decrease in hospitalizations for asthma, 87% decrease in emergency room visits for asthma, and 71% decrease in acute office visits for asthma exacerbations.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients may benefit from microsystem structures intentionally designed to facilitate implementation of evidence-based guidelines.
Newcomb
Patricia
P
Harris School of Nursing, Texas Christian University, Ft. Worth, TX, USA. p.newcomb@tcu.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019468:Disease Management; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013781:Texas; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*