Evaluation of the Emergency Department Asthma Care Project
Abstract
The purpose of the study is to evaluate whether the Emergency Department (ED) Asthma Care Project (ACP) leads to improved asthma care delivery and patient outcomes in the ED setting.
Hypothesis: Implementation of a multi-disciplinary asthma strategy/clinical pathway for the treatment of asthma in the ED, based upon the 1999 Canadian Asthma Consensus Guidelines (and subsequent updates), will increase adherence with published management guidelines in the ED setting, reduce variations in the emergency management of acute asthma, increase utilization of specialized asthma services and improve outcomes for patients following ED visits.
Methods:
This observational, pre- post-intervention study will compare a stratified sample of 10 Ontario hospital EDs (5 intervention and 5 control sites). Chart abstractions will be performed on all adult visits for acute asthma over a 3 month period before and after implementation of the Ontario Hospital Associations (OHA)'s (now Ontario Lung Association's (OLA's) ED Asthma Care Map. Patient and provider surveys and provider focus group post intervention will also be conducted. Primary outcome measures are hospitalizations and repeat ED visit rates. Secondary outcome measures include: length of stay in ED, self-reported adherence with referral to specialized asthma services made during index ED visit, self-reported asthma control, and use of self-management strategies (including use of action plan), use of asthma management strategies promoted by…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a clinical trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 300 participants or records.
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