At the heart of the IMPACT DC Asthma Program is our care and education program for children whose asthma is not well controlled. This includes children who often go to the emergency department, are hospitalized, miss school or have other signs of ongoing asthma challenges.
Our goal is to help children rely less on the emergency department and instead receive consistent, effective asthma care over time. We work with families to support long-term asthma management so children can stay healthier and more active. In addition to working directly with families, we also partner with the people and organizations involved in each child’s care—including schools, community programs and healthcare providers—to improve communication and coordination across all settings.
The IMPACT DC model of care was validated in a prospective randomized clinical trial, published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (2006). The study achieved several clinically and statistically significant outcomes:
- Increased the use of controller medications by more than two-fold
- Achieved nearly a 50 percent drop in subsequent ED visits
- Sustained improvements in numerous measures of quality of life
In the Community
Learn how we increase asthma awareness throughout the Washington, D.C. region.
Intervention
The IMPACT DC Asthma Program provides comprehensive asthma education, medical consultation and care coordination using a novel approach that is consistent with current national guidelines for asthma care.
We see children within two weeks of an emergency department visit or hospitalization for an acute exacerbation (asthma attack), or by referral, for a 90-minute visit where they meet with an asthma educator and a physician. Taking advantage of the “teachable moment” that naturally occurs after the crisis of an asthma attack, our asthma educators focus on three key elements of asthma care: