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Major Components of an Asthma Disease Management Programme

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Disease Management and Health Outcomes

Abstract

In an effort to improve patient outcomes and reduce resource use and costs associated with asthma care, asthma disease management programmes have now gained momentum. If a programme is to be effective, the identification of goals and outcomes relevant to the target populations is essential. These may include strategies aimed at reducing the use of resources, improving patient symptom scores and quality-of-life measures, or normalising pulmonary function. Methods to measure such outcomes should be developed in the design phase of the programme.

The best practice model for asthma care incorporates a multidisciplinary approach, using asthma care specialists, case managers, primary care physicians and nurse educators to target ‘high-risk’ asthmatics. The key interventions include incorporating clinical pathways developed from evidence-based guidelines, patient education and removal of obstacles to care and adherence. Assessment of outcomes and continuous efforts to improve quality are needed to make the programme cost effective.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

    Liza C. O’Dowd & Reynold A. Panettieri Jr

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  1. Liza C. O’Dowd
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  2. Reynold A. Panettieri Jr
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Correspondence to Liza C. O’Dowd.

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About the Authors: Liza O’Dowd, MD, is a post-doctoral fellow in allergy and immunoloy, pulmonary and critical care medicine, and clinical epidemiology and biostatics. She conducts research in asthma at the University of Pennsylvania.

Rey Panettieri Jr, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

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O’Dowd, L.C., Panettieri, R.A. Major Components of an Asthma Disease Management Programme. Dis-Manage-Health-Outcomes 4, 243–253 (1998). https://doi.org/10.2165/00115677-199804050-00001

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