Asthma in a Decentralized Patient Population: Is Traditional Disease Management Enough? A Randomized, Controlled Trial Comparing Traditional Care to Two Systems of Disease Management for a Decentralized Population of Patients in South Texas

This trial addresses the real-world concerns of asthma management through a disease management approach that will assist both the patient and the primary care physician by providing education, additional outpatient resources and additional access to health care personnel. This approach will stress empowering the patient to participate in his or her own health care at a higher level, which, in the case of asthma, is critical to wellness.

In a cooperative network of San Antonio medical centers, civilian and military, with a collective mission to care for military beneficiaries and the underserved patients of South Texas, this trial will evaluate the clinical benefits, as well as the cost savings, of a chronic disease management intervention in asthma. This study will fill a conspicuous gap in the medical literature by addressing the effectiveness of disease management through a large, decentralized, randomized, controlled trial.

DISEASE MANAGEMENT INTERVENTION

The project will use asthma disease management protocols and educational materials developed by the National Jewish Medical and Research Center. The program will be fully available in both English and Spanish, allowing a direct test of its impact on the State's vulnerable Hispanic population. Based on the principles of comprehensive disease management, National Jewish Medical and Research Center has developed a disease management program for asthma (DMP: Asthma) which addresses continuity of care by integrating traditional treatment methods with a program that focuses on creating a stronger partnership between the patient and the healthcare team, as well as greater patient empowerment. The primary program goal is empowering patients with the tools and resources they need for better self management of their prescribed treatment regimens and control of their environment. The program incorporates practice guidelines outlined by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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