Strategies for improving asthma outcomes: a case-based review of successes and pitfalls

Several comprehensive community-based asthma management programs have been developed in recent years. Their central goal is to provide access to quality asthma care to achieve successful long-term disease management. The Kansas City Children's Asthma Management Program (KC CAMP) and the Asthma Network of West Michigan (ANWM) share many of the same objectives, which include educating patients, families, the community, and health care providers about asthma care, advocating on behalf of those who need care, and allocating resources to provide care. Education to promote behavioral changes in health care providers enrolled in KC CAMP was achieved through didactic sessions and was considered successful; provider and staff satisfaction increased, as did compliance with treatment guidelines. ANWM seeks to promote prevention rather than crisis care by providing home visits, physician care conferences to generate asthma management plans, and social workers to address psychosocial barriers to care. Funding from multiple resources is essential for maintaining the programs. In addition, staff work with corporate sponsors, governmental agencies, and individual donors to ensure the programs' success. The benefits of KC-CAMP and ANWM are evident with data showing dramatic declines in emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and overall health care costs for asthma care.