How we know if we're succeeding

Measuring ourselves: asthma

The basic facts

• About 15 million Americans suffer from asthma
• Despite many advances in understanding and treating asthma, many people with asthma are suffering unnecessary symptoms and complications
• National guidelines recommend the following for proper treatment and control of asthma:
  • Use of “controller” medications for persons with recurring asthma (defined below)
  • Personalized asthma action plans to help people recognize warning signs and adjust their own treatment plan accordingly

Our mission is to improve the quality of life for our patients with asthma and their families, through appropriate medical treatment and improved self-management skills. These strategies will help decrease emergency room visits and hospitalizations.

We measure the following:

• Percent of patients with recurring asthma who take a controller medication
• Percent of patients with recurring asthma who have a written asthma action plan

Recurring asthma is defined as having had a combination of 2 or more emergency room visits, urgent care trips or hospitalizations for asthma in the past year.

In 2006, 84% of our patients with recurring asthma were taking a controller medication, just short of our 85% goal.

n = number of patients in sample measured

In 2006, 64% of our asthma patients had a written asthma action plan, exceeding our goal of 45%. This number has increased significantly each year since we began measuring it in 2003.

n = number of patients in sample measured

For more information and helpful resources on asthma and its management, click here.