Better Pediatric Asthma Outcomes Through Chronic Care

This 3-year, multi-site study focuses on the translation of cost-effective methods to bring a chronic care model to the care of poor, minority, inner-city children with asthma, at risk of the worst outcomes for the leading chronic disease of children.

The specific aims are to:

1. Develop a computer support system to deliver peer-driven, patient-linked Guideline prompts at the point of care using affordable information technology; 2. Evaluate the effect of the Guideline prompt system on the process and outcomes (symptom control, health-related-quality-of-life, ED and hospitalizations) of asthma care; and 3. Evaluate the added effect on outcomes of family-focused, supportive education delivered by a community health worker.

The key product of the computer support system is a guideline prompt that serves as the mechanism for integrating patient specific data with standards of care. 548 children, ages 5-18, with physician diagnosed asthma, enrolled in one Medicaid Managed Care Organization in CT, and receiving care at one of four Federally Qualified Community Health Centers will be recruited. All sites will have access to the computer support system and the to-be-developed, Guideline-Driven Clinical Standards of Asthma Care. In Phase I (12 months), the effect of prompts delivered at the point of care on patient outcomes will be compared to the effect of no-prompt care. In Phase II (6 months), the effect of family-focused, supportive education will be assessed in combination with prompted care compared to no-prompt care and compared to no education. All patients will receive standard screening and outreach to keep appointments. Data will be obtained from medical records, medical and pharmacy claims data as well as patient and parent interviews at baseline and quarterly for 18 months.