Improving care, quality and outcomes.

The Asthma APGAR Project

Olmsted Medical Center

Rochester, MN

Chatfield, MN

Pine Island, MN

Assumption:

Quality Outcomes

Patient-Centered Focus

Objectives:

Relate care and outcomes Identify quality related outcomes Suggest quality indicators Suggest process to assess indicators Develop 5 easy questions Review cases

Quality should focus on:

Outcomes that matter to patients Outcomes that matter to families Outcomes that matter to clinicians Outcomes that matter to quality monitors

In that order

WorkAbsenteeismPresenteeism

Promotion

Outcomes that matter:

PlayFocus on Fun

Person centeredNot disease centered

Outcomes that matter:

Sleep EnoughNot interrupted

Outcomes that matter:

$,$,$ Not consumed by asthma

Outcomes that matter:

Outcomes that matter to patients:

Appropriate diagnosis and management

Less Morbidity, Better Quality of Life:

Fewer ED visits– Follow-up after ED

Fewer school/work absences– Medication appropriate to severity

No hospitalizations– Immediate care

More symptom free days

Outcomes that matter to families:

More normal lifestyle:

Simple treatment plans– ?? Long acting medications– Step down therapy

Fewer urgent visits– Schedule regular visits– Have a plan for regular visits

More “normal” lifestyle (con’t):

No hospitalizations Less stress and less obsession with

asthma– Knowing what to do to help

More “asthma-free” days

Education

Outcomes that matter to the practice:

Practice outcomes:

Fewer unscheduled visits Fewer phone calls Shorter phone calls

Better self management

Written plans or any plans

Outcomes that matter to quality monitors:

Meeting Quotas:

Correct drug ratios “Appropriate” use of medications Fewer ED and urgent care visits Fewer hospitalizations Patient satisfaction

HEDIS

JCAOH

AMA

First priority is to meet patient and family needs

Understand disease from their perspective Affirm their concerns Negotiate a common ground Provide environment for communication

and education Control symptoms

Patient Centered Focus

Make sure it is asthma:

Correct diagnosis and uniform terminology

RAD, chronic bronchitis,

wheezy bronchitis

Symptoms

PFT

Allergies

Assess Severity:

Severity

Baseline

Attacks

Frequency

Intensity

Asthma Severity

Do they need steroids?

Classify severity

Baseline or treated

NHLBI EPR – 2 Severity Classification

Classify severity:

Simplify to 5 easy questions: How many days of the week do you have

symptoms? All day or most of the day? How many nights a week (month) do you

have symptoms? Do you have long periods of no

symptoms? FEV1

Translating symptoms to severity

Intermittent -- long periods with no symptoms

Translating symptoms to severity

Persistent -- no long periods without symptoms– Mild --- symptoms only once or twice a

week, short duration and not intense, rarely at night

– Moderate --- symptoms almost daily + 1 or 2 nights a week, hours to days and varying intensity

– Severe --- symptoms daily and nightly, almost continuous and varying intensity

Classify severity:

Need to ask about:– Symptoms for 2 to 4 weeks not just 2 to 4 days– Go beyond the “attack”– Be specific

CoughSOB, DOEAwakening

Assessing symptoms:

Don’t ask --- Don’t tell --- Don’t Document

Has never worked for anything!!!!!

The severity score addresses the baseline symptom

assessment:

Does not address the exacerbations or attacks

Add attacks:

60-80% of children who die of asthma have mild asthma.

Frequency

Intensity

When to use Spirometry

Initial assessment – diagnosis After symptoms and peak flow stabilize Every 1 to 2 years

– Polgar children– Crapp adults

Components of Spirometry

What do they mean? FVC – forced vital capacity

<75% obstruction FEV1 – forced expir vol, 1 second

<75% obstruction FEV1/FVC - <.7 obstruction

FEF25-75 - forced expiratory flow

<65% obstruction

Peak Flow as Diagnostic Tool

Less accurate than diagnostic instruments Cannot be calibrated or checked to assure

their performance No graphical display to evaluate effort,

quality Current PEF standards of + 10 percent

allow models of instruments to vary by up to 20 percent

Who needs steroids?

1. Do they have asthma?<5 years and >45 yearsSymptomsPFTs/ Spirometry-low reversibleOther causes

Who needs steroids?

2. Do they have daily symptoms?

(>2 x / week)

or

nightly symptoms

(>2 x / month)

Who needs steroids?

3. Do they have PFT with FEV1 <75% predicted?

Who needs steroids?

4. Can you remove the trigger(s)?

Allergens

Irritants

Who needs steroids?

5. Do they have life threatening exacerbations?

Triggers/Allergies

Doesn’t have to be overwhelming Few people have more than 2 or 3

major triggers Triggers may change (additive

effects)

Unlikely to gain control without knowing triggers

Allergies:

Symptoms– Running or stuffy nose– Itchy nose or eyes– Eczema– Sneezing

Allergies:

Family history Known triggers Seasonal vs. persistent Related to location

Irritants:

Almost everyone with asthma reacts to some irritant.– Smoke– Fragrance– URI– Formaldehyde

Case #1:

John, 25 year-old computer programmer Mid-August-yearly Stuffy, runny nose Itchy eyes, nose, throat Regular jogger 3 x /week Shortness of breath and coughing with jogging

June & August Night-time awakening OTC meds only

Exam:

Nasal voice Swollen, boggy mucosa No polyps Lungs clear

Question A:

Based on the history so far, the most likely diagnosis is:

Card

• Summer cold with bronchitis #1• Seasonal allergic rhinitis (hay fever) #2• Seasonal allergic rhinitis with

post-nasal-drip induced cough #3• Seasonal allergic rhinitis with seasonal asthma #4

Answer:

Seasonal allergy and asthma #4

Question B:

How would you rate asthma severity?– Mild intermittent #1– Mild persistent #2– Moderate persistent #3– Severe persistent #4

Answer:

Mild persistent #2– Daily symptoms > 2 x / week– Nightly symptoms > 2 x / month– ? PFTs

Question C:

What is your next test?

Total IgE #1 Spirometry #2 Skin test #3 CT of sinuses #4

Answer:

Spirometry #2

FVC 4.3 L 110%

FEV1 3.4 L 100%

FVC/FEV1 .79 86%

Question D:

Does this man need steroids? No #1 Inhaled low dose #2 Inhalded moderate dose #3 Oral burst #4

Treatment:

Asthma – mild persistent– Inhaled steroids – low dose #2– Pre-med for exercise

Allergies– Antihistamine

Re-check 2 weeks

Case 2:

16 year old girl – feels fine Asthma diagnosed age 8 Trouble in 1st hour class-sleepy Stays up late talking on phone Awakened by coughing Meds - prn

Question A:

What are her asthma symptoms?– None #1– Fatigue #2– Coughing #3– School problems #4

Answer:

At least coughing #3 Probably fatigue #2 Probably school problems #4

Exam:

HEENT-neg Lungs-difuse wheezes FEV1 –72%

Slender Otherwise normal

Question B:

What is asthma severity level?

– Mild intermittent #1– Mild persistent #2– Moderate Persistent #3– Severe Persistent #4

Answer:

At least moderate #3

and

probably severe persistent. #4

Question C:

Does this girl need steroids?

– No #1– Inhaled low dose #2– Inhaled moderate/high dose #3– Oral #4

Treatment:

Inhaled moderate/high dose steroids #3 Long-acting ß agonist Rescuer ? More

See back 2 weeks

Consider spirometry

Treatment:

Inhaler technique Written action plan Education

– Goal setting (collaborative)

Case 3:

8 year old boy Coughing and wheezing 4 days this week Increased symptoms with cat Increased symptoms with running Mother won’t let him play soccer ß agonist BID x 2 years

Question A:

Asthma severity?– Mild intermittent #1– Mild persistent #2– Moderate persistent #3– Severe persistent #4

Answer:

At least mild persistent #2– >2 x / week– No soccer

Can you remove triggers?

Cat - ? Exercise - ?

Question B:

What is the next test?

– Spirometry #1– Cat RAST #2– Exercise challenge #3– Methacholine challenge #4

Answer:

Spirometry #1

FEV1 70%

After ß agonist FEV1 90%

>15% improvement

Question C:

Does he need steroids?

No #1 Inhaled low dose #2 Inhaled moderate dose #3 Oral burst #4

Answer:

Inhaled moderate dose #3

Pre-treat exercise – next week Inhaler technique Action plan Return 2 weeks ? Peak flow meter

Diagnosis:

Recurrent symptoms PFT Consistent terminology

% of 493 that are RAD or wheezy bronchitis in children and adults > 3 years

old

Classify severity:

Symptoms, Symptoms, SymptomsSpirometry

% with daytime symptoms documented

% with nighttime symptoms documented

Self-management skills:

Education Monitoring medication use

% of persistent asthmatic with education

% of asthmatic with inhaler technique documented

Triggers:

When and what

% of charts with triggers or allergies

mentioned or evaluated

Follow-up:

Regular care Post ED Post hospitalization

% of patients with non-urgent visit in a year

% of patients with f/u visit after ED

% of patients with f/u visit after hospitalization

Referral:

Not all but when appropriate Must communicate

% of patients with f/u letter after referral

Quality indicators:

% of 493 that are RAD or wheezy bronchitis in children and adults > 3 years old?

% with daytime symptoms documented?

% with nighttime symptoms documented?

% of charts with triggers or allergies mentioned or evaluated?

Quality indicators:

% of patients with non-urgent visit in a year?

% of patients with f/u visit after ED?

% of patients with f/u visit after hospitalization?

% of patients with f/u letter after referral?

POOM

If zones are red

and patients are blue

you need to take better

care of asthma, too!

Case 1A 15 y.o. female comes in for a sports physical. Complains of chest

tightness during cheerleading practice, which she does every day after school. Uses Albuterol MDI (refills about once a month). Reports “hay-fever” every May and June, uses Allegra during these months only.

Spirometry:FVC: 102% predicted

FEV1: 89% predicted (6% increase after Albuterol)

FEF25-75%: 78% predicted PEFR: 93% predicted

What is your assessment of her asthma severity, and your proposed treatment plan?

Is there any other information that would be helpful to your management decision-making?

Case 2A 6 y.o. girl in for a well child check. Occasional night cough (keeps

younger sister up –same bedroom). She has no history/diagnosis of asthma, but hospitalized once for bronchiolitis at 11 months old, and seen in ED once for RAD at “about” 2 years old.

Spirometry:FVC: 96% predicted

FEV1: 75% predicted (15% increase after Albuterol)

FEF25-75%: 52% predictedPEFR: 92% predicted

Does she have asthma?

If so, what is your assessment of her asthma severity, and your proposed treatment plan?

Is there any other information that would be helpful to your management decision-making?

Case 3A 17 y.o. male in for planned asthma visit. Your patient for 2 years, since he

moved to your city from Hawaii. Diagnosed with asthma as an infant there. Says he feels fine today. Uses Albuterol several times a day, typically on way to school bus and before Phys. Ed. Usual medications

-Advair 250/50 1 puff b.i.d. -Singulair 10 mg q.h.s.-Rhinocort 2 puffs b.i.d. -Albuterol p.r.n.Reports good adherence; you believe himSpirometry:FVC: 93% predicted

FEV1: 64% predicted (10% increase after Albuterol)

FEF25-75%: 38% predictedPEFR: 82% predicted

What is your assessment of his asthma severity, and your proposed treatment plan?

Is there any other information that would be helpful to your management decision making?

Case 4A 56 y. o. woman presents to your office with dry cough, dyspnea on

exertion. She says that she had had episodes of “bronchitis” with yellow sputum production in the spring and in the fall, for as long as she can remember. She takes an antibiotic and the symptoms go away in a month, or so.

Spirometry:

FVC: 65% predicted

FEV1: 62% predicted (24% improvement after Albuterol)

FEF25-75%: 40% predicted

PEFR: 60% predicted

Does she have asthma? How would you treat her?

Case 5

A 56 y.o. man presents to your office with chronic cough, productive of usually clear sputum. He has dyspnea on mild exertion, e.g. walking up on flight of stairs. He has a 65 pack year smoking history, but quit 2 years ago. He has chronic sinus drainage that exacerbates in the late summer and early fall.

Spirometry:

FVC: 55% predicted

FEV1: 52% predicted (24% improvement after Albuterol)

FEF25-75%: 37% predictedPEFR: 50% predicted

Does he have asthma? How would you treat him?