Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026
Bronchial Thermoplasty: A Novel Therapeutic Approach to Severe Asthma
Published on: November 4, 2010
The Child Asthma Link Line: a coalition-initiated, telephone-based, care coordination intervention for childhood
Kathleen Coughey1, Gary Klein, Caroline West
1Department of Research and Evaluation, Public Health Management Corporation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Insights
The Child Asthma Link Line program significantly reduced hospitalizations and emergency department visits for children with asthma. This telephone-based care coordination improves asthma management and reduces healthcare utilization.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- Childhood asthma is a prevalent chronic illness with significant management challenges and care disparities.
- Factors including medical, psychosocial, and health system issues contribute to poor asthma control in children.
- Community-based initiatives are recommended to address fragmentation and improve asthma outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the Child Asthma Link Line, a telephone-based care coordination program.
- To assess the impact of the Link Line intervention on childhood asthma management and morbidity.
- To measure utilization markers of morbidity, including emergency department visits and hospitalizations.
Main Methods:
- A comparison of Medicaid Managed Care Organization claims data from 59 children receiving the Link Line intervention in 2003 with a matched sample of 236 children who did not.
- Children aged 3-12 years were matched on 2003 emergency department visits, age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
- Primary outcome variables included emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and office visit claims from the follow-up year (2004).
Main Results:
- Children in the Link Line intervention group had significantly fewer follow-up hospitalizations compared to the matched sample (p = .02).
- Link Line participants were more likely to attend outpatient office visits in the follow-up year (p = .045).
- Children with multiple emergency department visits in 2003 were significantly less likely to have an emergency department visit in 2004 if enrolled in the Link Line (p = .046).
Conclusions:
- The coalition-developed, telephone-based, system-level intervention significantly impacted childhood asthma morbidity.
- Utilization endpoints, including follow-up hospitalizations and emergency department visits, showed significant improvement.
- Telephone-based care coordination and service integration offer a viable and economic approach to managing childhood asthma and other chronic diseases.
Background:
Childhood asthma is a complex chronic disease that poses significant challenges regarding management, and there is evidence of disparities in care. Many medical, psychosocial, and health system factors contribute to recognized poor control of this most prevalent illness among children, with resultant excessive use of emergency departments and hospitalizations for care. Recent national guidelines emphasize the need for community-based initiatives to address these critical issues. To address health system fragmentation and impact asthma outcomes, the Philadelphia Allies Against Asthma coalition developed and implemented the Child Asthma Link Line, a telephone-based care coordination and system integration program, which has been in operation since 2001. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Child Asthma Link Line integration model to improve asthma management by measuring utilization markers of morbidity.
Methods:
Medicaid Managed Care Organization claims data for 59 children who received the Link Line intervention in 2003 are compared to a matched sample of 236 children who did not receive the Link Line intervention. Children in the two study groups are ages 3 through 12 years and matched on 2003 emergency department visits, age, gender, and race/ethnicity. Primary outcome variables analyzed in this study are emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and office visit claims from the follow-up year (2004).
Results:
Link Line intervention children were significantly less likely to have follow-up hospitalizations than matched sample children (p = .02). Children enrolled in the Link Line were also more likely to attend outpatient office visits in the follow-up year (p = .045). In addition, Link Line children with multiple emergency department visits in 2003 were significantly less likely to have an emergency department visit in 2004 (p = .046).
Conclusion:
This coalition-developed, telephone-based, system-level intervention had a significant impact on childhood asthma morbidity as measured by utilization endpoints of follow-up hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Telephone-based care coordination and service integration may be a viable and economic way to impact childhood asthma and other chronic diseases.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Asthma-IV: Nursing Management
First, in...
01:30Asthma-IV: Diagnostic and Management
Clinical Assessment for Asthma:
This is the first step in diagnosing and managing asthma. It includes:
01:29Asthma-I: Introduction
01:28Asthma I: Introduction
01:20Asthma: Pathogenesis and Management
Asthma is classified as allergic and non-allergic. Allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander trigger allergic asthma, while factors like cold air, intense emotions, or exercise can induce non-allergic asthma.
01:13Asthma III: Clinical Manifestations