Collaboration of pediatric practices and managed care organizations in educational Intervention for childhood asthma

• Objective: To describe a pilot program that utilized patient and physician education plus collaboration with managed care organizations (MCOs) to reduce hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) visits due to asthma in children. • Methods: Ten pediatric practices in suburban New York State participated. A specialist team consisting of a pediatric pulmonologist/ allergist and a nurse practitioner made 7 visits to the practices over 2 years to provide education to providers. 64 patients aged 0 to 17 years from these practices who had a history of asthma-related hospital admissions were selected to receive a 2-hour initial session with the specialist team followed by monthly phone calls from the nurse practitioner. • Results: There was a significant reduction in hospital admissions, from 62 (3.43/1000 members) to 28 (1.6/1000) in the first year and to 27 (1.7/1000) in the second year. ED visits were reduced from 110 (7.46/ 1000 members) to 66 (5.19/1000) in the first year and to 77 (6.2/1000) in the second year. • Conclusion: Collaboration with MCOs to educate physicians and patients provides a promising framework for reduction of hospital admissions and ED visits due to childhood asthma.