Managed Care

ASTHMA MANAGEMENT AND THE ALLERGIST:  BETTER OUTCOMES AT LOWER COST

Updated Edition Issued November 2008

Handbook Summarizes Clinical Data on Outcomes and Costs

Patients with asthma have the best treatment outcomes at lower costs when receiving care from asthma specialists, according to a new report that summarizes clinical data from 36 studies in the medical literature.

The benefits of allergist care include:

• Fewer hospitalizations and shorter hospital stays
• Fewer emergency room visits
• Fewer sick care office visits
• Fewer days missed from work or school
• Increased patient satisfaction and improved quality of life

The handbook Asthma Management and the Allergist: Better Outcomes at Lower Cost includes abstracted and summarized data documenting that treatment outcomes are better and costs are lower when allergists directly provide asthma care or coordinate a care team, compared to when an allergist is not involved. Often referred to as the "Blue Book" in previous editions, the report can be downloaded as a PDF file.

A printed edition of the handbook and a PowerPoint presentation will be available from the College in early 2009.