Translation of a Pediatric Asthma-Management Program Into a Community in Connecticut

OBJECTIVES: We assessed whether a successful asthma-management program could be translated into pediatrician's offices, improve care, and reduce medical services use. METHODS: Pediatrician's offices from 6 communities in Connecticut were trained, and all children aged 6 months or older were eligible for enrollment. Quality measures included enrollment numbers, appropriate use of anti-inflammatory therapy, and distribution of a written treatment plan. Medical services utilization data for Medicaid-insured children were expressed as relative rates (RRs) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) before and after enrollment, and we used historical and contemporaneous comparisons and generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: A total of 51 practices and 297 clinicians enrolled 32 680 children from 2002 to 2007; 10 467 had asthma, of whom 4354 were insured with Medicaid. Children with persistent asthma experienced decreases in the number of hospitalizations (RR: 0.51 [95% CI: 0.39-0.65]) and emergency-department visits (RR: 0.70 [95% CI: 0.68-0.84]), and there was no change in number of outpatient visits (RR: 0.99 [95% CI: 0.9-1.10]). Inhaled corticosteroid use doubled, appropriate use of anti-inflammatory therapy increased to 96%, and 94% of the children were given a written treatment plan. CONCLUSIONS: General pediatricians can successfully implement an asthma-management program that is effective in improving care for large numbers of children.