007 - Improving Completion of Asthma Symptom Screening and Asthma Treatment Plans at Well Visits in a Large Primary Care Network.

Publication Number: 7.5181

Hanna Lemerman, Akron Children's Hospital, Copley, OH, United States; Megan Woodward, Akron Children's Hospital, Alliance, OH, United States; Elizabeth Forcina, Akron Children's Hospital, Cuyahoga Falls, OH, United States; Laurie Engler, Akron Childrens Hospital, Akron, OH, United States

Background: Asthma is the most prevalent chronic disease affecting children, necessitating effective management by primary care providers to control symptoms and prevent exacerbations. Akron Children’s Primary Care is a large multi-site primary care network in Ohio with over 500,000 patient visits annually and care for over 20,000 patients with asthma. Routine screening for asthma symptoms using validated tools and the formulation of comprehensive asthma treatment plans are critical components of pediatric asthma care. However, these standards are inconsistently followed due to documentation burdens and the need to address numerous other clinical concerns.

Objective: We conducted a quality improvement project to improve asthma chronic care management by increasing the completion rates of asthma symptom screening and treatment plans from 40% to 60% by December 2024.

Design/Methods: Patients with asthma on their problem list were automatically assigned an asthma screening tool to be completed electronically prior to or at the time of their well visit on an electronic patient-entered questionnaire. We used the Asthma Control Test ™ (ACT) screening tool for children 4-11 years old and the Rules of Two™ screening tool for those 12 years old and older. If the screening was not completed via the electronic health record (EHR) portal in advance of the appointment, families were provided with tablets or paper forms to facilitate completion. Providers subsequently reviewed the results within the EHR and generated asthma treatment plans within the EHR, allowing for printing or electronic transmission through the patient portal. Rates of screening and treatment plan completion were measured collectively as an asthma care bundle. Additionally, providers received education on the significance of maintaining accurate problem lists and the advantages of completing asthma treatment plans.

Results: Implementation of this initiative resulted in a notable increase in the asthma care bundle completion rate, rising from 40% to 74% by September 2024.

Conclusion(s): Our quality improvement project significantly increased the screening for asthma symptoms and the completion of asthma treatment plans by automating asthma screening delivery, demonstrating sustained improvement in adherence to best practices in pediatric asthma management. This initiative underscores the importance of systematic approaches in primary care settings to optimize health outcomes for children with asthma.

Akron Children's Primary Care % of Patients with Completed Asthma Bundle
Figure 1

Akron Children's Primary Care % of Patients with Completed Asthma Bundle
Figure 1