Barriers to Reducing ED Visits for Asthma: Monroe County, NY

Authors

Jamie Wooldridge, MD, CPE, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow

Document Type

Presentation

Presentation Date

4-18-2024

Comments

Presentation: 56:02

Abstract

Asthma has a significant negative impact a child’s quality of life through frequent symptoms, missed school and work, and need for acute hospital visits. Asthma also generates high direct and indirect costs with a greater impact on children living in historically marginalized neighborhoods. Despite the CDC recommendations of guideline-based care, access and adherence to medications, intensive self-management education, and home trigger mitigation, the impact of asthma remains unchanged. The purpose of this study was to assess epidemiologic and clinician barriers in asthma care leading to high rates of acute hospital encounters in Monroe County, New York. A retrospective data analysis was conducted of pediatrics inpatients to assess for risk factors, social determinants of health, and opportunities to improve care. Furthermore, stakeholder perceptions were examined of the barriers to, facilitators of, and experiences with using guidelines for children with asthma through semi-structured interviews with hospitalists and residents. The results found the children with asthma in Monroe County, NY are more likely to be young, live in historically marginalized neighborhoods, not have the appropriate medications prescribed, and not receive specialized asthma care. Furthermore, the results found that inpatient providers struggle with having the necessary time to provide all aspects of asthma care and detailed knowledge of asthma medications. Improving asthma care as recommended by the CDC 6|18 initiative using the CF Foundation model provides the needed comprehensive population health-based work will decrease not only acute care encounters for these children but also improve their quality of life by preventing missed school and increasing symptom free days.

Recommended Citation

Language

English