Dallas-based Children's Health has cut asthma-related emergency department visits in half, no small feat considering asthma is the most common chronic condition affecting children under 18. The health system described the progressive population health strategy it used to reduce asthma-related ED visits in a new whitepaper.
To reduce the burden of childhood asthma in the Dallas community, Children's Health linked clinical, social, community, public health, philanthropic, educational, environmental and governmental programs.
Specifically, Children's Health focused on four initiatives to reduce asthma visits, including:
- Expanding the primary care network
- Establishing the Health and Wellness Alliance for Children
- Expanding care management for asthma patients
- Focusing on high-risk asthma patients
From 2012 to 2015, the number of unique patients visiting the Children's Health ED with a primary clinical diagnosis of asthma decreased by 49 percent while overall volume remained relatively flat.
According to Peter Roberts, president of population health at Children's Health, the key to success in reducing asthma-related ED visits was the strategic partnerships linking clinical and community-based public health programs.
"We learned that what we were seeing in the hospital was just a small glimpse into the child's health. To decrease the burden of asthma in our community, it was critical to extend care beyond the hospital walls and address the environmental and social factors where these children live, play and go to school," Mr. Roberts told Becker's Hospital Review. "We did this by engaging several of our community partners, including those from the Health and Wellness Alliance for Children. By following a similar model, it is possible to reduce exposure to asthma triggers and improve the health of children everywhere."
To access the full whitepaper, click here.
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