Teachable moments: improving pediatric asthma outcomes through physician education

In light of concerns about adherence to the 1997 National Heart Lung and Blood Institute guidelines as well as the 2002 update regarding treatment of asthma, the authors evaluate educational interventions designed to have a positive impact on pediatric patient outcomes. Social cognitive theory can provide the foundation of interventions for physicians that are intended to promote self efficacy in treating asthma patients. Emphasizing the need for physician education based on principles of adult learning, the authors call for more research in this area and encourage the incorporation of distance learning techniques into educational endeavors. The purpose of this article is to review research on the impact of healthcare provider education designed to increase use of practice guidelines on the quality of pediatric asthma care as reflected in patient outcomes and, ultimately, in cost of treatment.