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Help your patients with asthma breathe easier
May 17, 2022

This article is for primary care providers caring for our members

As the season changes, so may the ability to breathe for your patients with persistent asthma. Help your patient understand their triggers, symptoms, and what actions to take by completing an asthma action plan.

Working together to reduce health inequities

In the U.S., asthma disproportionately affects Black, Hispanic, and Native American people. Health inequities in asthma are caused by structural, social, biological, and behavioral determinants. Equity is possible if we work together.

“We can all take steps to address race and health disparities that contribute to asthma and other illnesses,” says Dr. Aaron Bernstein, co-director of the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (Harvard Chan C-CHANGE) and a pediatrician at Boston Children’s Hospital. Read more in our Coverage story, A child’s right to breathe.

How the action plan helps

As you know, an asthma action plan is an important tool for patients diagnosed with asthma. The action plan helps patients understand how to manage worsening asthma symptoms to prevent an acute exacerbation. It also supports caregivers and family members in self-managing asthma symptoms.

Control is the goal

Another benefit of the action plan is that it educates patients on how to manage their asthma by using their controller medication regularly. Long-term controller medication adherence helps patients have fewer and milder asthma attacks.

Talk to your patients to ensure their controller medication is working and that they do not over-rely on rescue inhalers. Schedule follow up appointments with patients who request additional rescue medication to reinforce asthma education and promote controller use for asthma management.

We’ll continue outreach this summer

We often review claims to ensure our members have the best health outcomes. If your patient appears to fill their rescue inhaler more often than their controller medication, we may reach out and ask that you follow up with them.

Thank you

As always, thank you for the care you provide to our members.

Resources for members

WATCH: Your asthma ABCs

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