Title: Take Care to Learn Asthma

Funded by: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Status: Ongoing

Overview: Millions of Americans today are living with chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, and depression. Although our healthcare institutions are often prepared to provide care for acute symptoms of illness, our caregivers may not have the tools required to manage a chronic disease over a continuum. The Take Care to Learn Asthma program is a pilot study, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to provide resident physicians with the resources necessary to help patients manage their illness and improve quality of life.

The program is being spearheaded in the Pediatric and Ambulatory Care Center (PAAC). Residents in the PAAC are provided with a series of educational sessions that have been incorporated into the pediatric residency curriculum. The curriculum is heavily steeped in the tenets of the Chronic Care Model, which heralds patients taking an active part in their own care and providers supported by resources and expertise. Residents are provided with a foundation of knowledge in asthma management, conducting environmental assessments, developing successful partnerships with patients, and using data and managed care to track and trend health outcomes.

Simultaneously, pediatric patients with asthma are enrolled into the Support Team for Asthma Relief (STAR) program, a chronic disease management program that provides patients and their caregivers with education and case management to help prevent acute exacerbations and manage the symptoms that can impact a patient’s quality of life. Each patient is assigned a care team, including a resident physician, attending physician, and care manager. The resident, patient, and other caregivers work together to develop an asthma action plan to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency room visits.

Working in concert with their care team, it is hoped that the STAR patients will experience improved health outcomes, while residents gain the resources and tools necessary to manage a variety of chronic conditions.

Research Team:
Allan Arbeter, MD, Co-Principal Investigator
Jerry Maliot, MD, Co-Principal Investigator