Study Objective:
ASTHMA is a quality improvement initiative that aims to enhance the overall effectiveness of care that is provided for Albertans with asthma by identifying barriers to optimal care and to implement strategies to overcome these barriers.
Principal Investigators:
Dr. Irvin Mayers, Dr. Robert Cowie
Time Line:
1999 – 2005
Partners:
The University of Alberta
The University of Calgary
Alberta Health and Wellness
The Alberta Lung Association
The Alberta Medical Association
Merck Frosst Canada Ltd.
Study Results:
| Phase I (1999 – 2001) |
|---|
| Objective: to document the current pattern of practice in the diagnosis, treatment and management of asthma by doing a province wide chart review.
Time frame: 2000 – 2001 Number of Patient Charts reviewed: 3072 Number of Physicians Participating: 42 Patient Survey |
|
Abstracts:
Current patterns of pediatric asthma practice in primary offices. Presented: American Thoracic Society 97th International Conference, San Francisco, CA, May 18-23, 2001. Published: Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2001;163(5):A852. Asthma Practice of Family Physicians and Walk-In Clinics. Presented: American Thoracic Society International Conference 2002, Atlanta, GA, May 17-22, 2002. Published: Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2002;165:A564. Current Patterns of Adult Asthma Practice in Primary Offices. Presented: American Thoracic Society International Conference 2002, Atlanta, GA, May 17-22, 2002. Published: Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2002;165:A781. Standards of Asthma Practice for Rural and Urban Priamry Care Physicians. Presented: American Thoracic Society International Conference 2002, Atlanta, GA, May 17-22, 2002. Published: Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2002. |
|
Posters:
Current Patterns of Asthma Education in Primary Care Physicians & Pediatricians Offices. Presented: Asthma Educator’s Conference, Toronto, ON, November, 2001. Published: Conference Proceedings. |
| Phase II (2001- 2004) |
|---|
| Having identified the gaps in care and the various barriers to optimal therapy during Phase I of the study, Phase II concentrated on ascertaining ways to intervene and improve the quality of care and patient outcomes. |
|
Interventions:
BREATHE (Better Respiratory Education and Asthma Treatment in Hinton and Edson) Asthma Educators in Primary Care Physician’s Offices MAINPRO-C Workshop |
| Phase III |
|---|
| A second Family Practice Chart Review was conducted in order to reassess the patterns of practice of asthma in Alberta. |
|
Primary Objective: To determine temporal changes from the 2000 chart review to the 2005 chart review in provision of education for patients with asthma by family physicians. Secondary Objectives:
Time Line: Begin and complete in Spring 2005 Study Contact: Carolyn Nilsson |
Publications:
- Sin DD, Man SF, Cowie RL, et al. Alberta Strategy to Help Manage Asthma (ASTHMA): Participation of network and non-network primary care physicians. Can Fam Physician. 2004;50:1251–1254.
- Corrigan SP, Cecillon DL, Sin DD, Sharpe HM, Andrews EM, Cowie RL, et al. The costs of implementing the 1999 Canadian Asthma Consensus Guidelines recommendation of asthma education and spirometry for the family physician. Can Respir J. 2004;11(5):349–353.
- Tsuyuki RT, Sharpe HM, Sin DD, Cowie RL, et al. Alberta Strategy to Help Manage Asthma (ASTHMA): A Provincial Initiative to Improve Outcomes for Individuals with Asthma. HealthCare Quarterly 2004; Vol 7 No3; 55-60.
- Tsuyuki RT, et al. Management of asthma among community-based primary care physicians. J. Asthma 42, 163–167 (2005).
- Lum EY, Sharpe HM, Nilsson C, et al. Urban and rural differences in the management of asthma amongst primary care physicians in Alberta. Can J Clin Pharmacol. 2007;14:e275-e282.