ABS73: Evaluation of patient response to respiratory educators in primary care

Abstract

Introduction:

Despite evidence that asthma education is effective, it is not a component of primary health care in Alberta. With a strategic plan, there is potential to reduce respiratory costs in tertiary care [1,2]. Objectives: To establish a continuum of care for managing patients with asthma and COPD by providing access to educators in primary care physicians (PCPs) offices with the goal to: Improve patient quality of life, respiratory disease management by PCPs, and establish a universal respiratory education program for primary care. Subjects/method: RCT, adult and pediatric patients with Asthma or COPD. Respiratory educators work with 50 PCP offices. Control group completes baseline questionnaires, spirometry testing, and receives an education booklet. Intervention patients do the same plus receive education from a Respiratory Educator. Patients are followed by PCP throughout. Reassessment occurs at six months by the educator, with the intervention offered to the control group. Both are followed for an additional six months.

Results:

Anticipated findings will validate pilot results that respiratory education conducted by a respiratory educator in the PCPs office, improves asthma control/management. Pilot showed: improvements in symptom severity, activity limitation, shortness of breath, wheeze, night waking, and rescue medication used; Reduced Beta 2 agonist (0.875 to 0.5 puffs/day); Increase in FEV₁ (0.15 litres).

Conclusions:

This study will empower patients to better manage their disease, optimizing control; minimizing unscheduled physician visits, emergency room visits and hospital stays. The health evidence and cost benefits obtained will be useful for policy makers to support implementation.

Conflict of interest and funding

Project funded by: Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Researh (AHFMR), The Alberta Strategy to Help Manage Asthma (ASTHMA), Astra Zeneca, GlaxoSmithKline.