title: Asthma disease management and the respiratory therapist.
abstract: The role of the respiratory therapist (RT) is expanding with the growing acceptance and use of the disease-management paradigm for managing chronic diseases. RTs are key members of the asthma disease-management team, in acute-care settings, patients' homes, out-patient clinics, emergency departments, and in the community. Utilizing RTs as disease managers allows patients to be treated faster and more appropriately, discharged to home sooner, and decreases hospital admissions. RT are leaders in the emerging field of asthma disease management.
authors.affiliation: American Association for Respiratory Care, 9423 MacArthur Boulevard, Irving, TX 75063, USA. kallstrom@aarc.org
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kallstrom
authors.forename: Timothy R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Myers
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D019468:Disease Management; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D024382:Professional Role; D012138:Respiratory Therapy