Ms. Julie Kuhn, MSW1, Ms. Helen Margellos-Anast, MPH1, Ms. Tala. Alhajj Schwindt ... Ms. Sheena Freeman, BA1, Ms. Gloria Seals1; 1Sinai Urban Health Insti-.
Abstracts AB167
J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL VOLUME 133, NUMBER 2
Asthma Carepartners: A Home-Based Asthma Intervention Embedded Within Medicaid Managed Care Ms. Julie Kuhn, MSW1, Ms. Helen Margellos-Anast, MPH1, Ms. Tala Alhajj Schwindt, MPH1, Ms. Lourdes Reyes2, Ms. Barbara Hay, MA2, Ms. Sheena Freeman, BA1, Ms. Gloria Seals1; 1Sinai Urban Health Institute, Chicago, IL, 2Family Health Network, Chicago, IL. RATIONALE: The Asthma CarePartners (ACP) program, an innovative partnership between the Sinai Urban Health Institute (SUHI) and a Medicaid managed care organization, aims to improve the health of Chicago children and adults with asthma. Four previous asthma interventions with rigorous results and demonstrated cost savings have proven the effectiveness of SUHI’s Community Health Worker (CHW) model, leading to this venture to incorporate the model within standard healthcare delivery. METHODS: The ACP program utilizes CHWs making home visits to educate patients with poorly controlled asthma about the disease, its triggers and proper management. Participants receive six home visits during the year-long intervention. Education focuses on improving medical management while simultaneously addressing environmental triggers. CHWs conduct structured home environmental assessments, working collaboratively with families to reduce exposure to home triggers. RESULTS: Since 8/16/2011, 469 patients have been referred to the program. Of the 52 participants who completed the 12-month intervention, ED visits were reduced by 78% between the year prior to and the year following the intervention (p50.0004). Similarly, nights where sleep was disturbed by asthma decreased from 7.1 to 2.3 over the intervention period (p
