ABSTRACT
Partnership for Excellence in Asthma Care, a practical example of evidence-based disease management, was launched by Egleston Scottish Rite Children's Health Care System. The process of development and implementation of evidence-based practice guidelines for the outpatient management of asthma is described. Methods to influence physician practice patterns and the preparation of feedback reports are discussed. The method for measuring outcomes and preliminary outcome data are shared.
Subject(s)
Asthma/therapy , Disease Management , Evidence-Based Medicine , Child , Comprehensive Health Care/organization & administration , Humans , Interinstitutional Relations , Practice Guidelines as TopicABSTRACT
Our experience with developing and implementing the outpatient component of an evidence-based disease management initiative has been a positive one. Involvement of respected practicing physicians in the planning phase, recommendation of evidence-based guidelines, and the supportive relationship between the hospital and participating practices have been essential to the successful launching of an asthma disease management program by a children's healthcare system. As the implementation phase continues to progress, we are preparing for the 6 month data collection stage, including outcomes measurement and practice pattern feedback. After 1 year of implementation we will analyze the data and report on the effects of the Partnership. We expect that physicians will continue to use the guidelines, and therefore sustain the improved health status of children with asthma. We will continue to invite pediatricians' participation in the Partnership so that more children in our community can benefit from high-quality cost-effective care that results in superior health outcomes.
Subject(s)
Asthma/therapy , Evidence-Based Medicine , Patient Care Team , Ambulatory Care/economics , Asthma/economics , Child , Cost Control , Evidence-Based Medicine/economics , Humans , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Patient Care Team/economics , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Primary Health Care/economicsABSTRACT
As part of a larger study on the impact of personal and family characteristics on adolescents' HIV risk and risk-reduction behavior, 90 adolescents and 73 mothers were asked to define in their own words seven terms related to sexual development: ejaculation, hormones, menstruation, ovulation, puberty, semen, and wet dreams. Mother and adolescent knowledge of sexual development terms and the effects of age and sexual experience on that knowledge were examined. Results suggest that the mothers were not able to adequately define the sexual development terms and thus may be ill-prepared to teach their children about sex or reinforce information they learn in school. Since adolescent knowledge did not significantly increase with age and sexual experience, the researchers suggest that continuing sex education about normal sexual development is needed.
