LEAWOOD, Kan. — The results of a yearlong initiative of the American Academy of Family Physicians to improve the care of asthmatic patients will be presented at the National Conference on Asthma June 19-21 in Washington, D.C. The findings of the Asthma Learning Collaborative will be presented by Kurtis Elward, M.D., a family physician and AAFP member from Charlottesville, Va.
Asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in the world and is especially common among children. The Asthma Collaborative, a quality improvement project organized by the AAFP and the National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality, was designed to improve care of patients with asthma.
The Asthma Collaborative focused on improving the systems that support quality asthma care in a variety of family practice settings. Participants from 13 family practices across the country used a variety of tools, including a registry of patients who have asthma and a process for ensuring that the severity of asthma was assessed for every patient at every visit.
The collaborative was a part of the AAFP’s Quality Initiative, which has as its mission to improve the health status, outcomes and satisfaction of patients while enhancing the viability and vitality of family physicians’ practices.
The program of the National Conference on Asthma will encourage health professionals to implement practices and community strategies to significantly reduce asthma-related mortality and morbidity by the year 2010.
Results of American Academy of Family Physicians Research to be Presented at National Asthma Conference
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, June 10, 2003
Contact:
Adam Lee
American Academy of Family Physicians
(800) 274-2237 Ext. 5221
alee@aafp.org
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Founded in 1947, the American Academy of Family Physicians represents more than 94,300 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical specialty society devoted solely to primary care. Please visit www.aafp.org for more information about the AAFP.
Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents 105,900 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.
Approximately one in four of all office visits are made to family physicians. That is 240 million office visits each year — nearly 87 million more than the next largest medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide more care for America’s underserved and rural populations than any other medical specialty. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.
To learn more about the specialty of family medicine, the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care, and for downloadable multi-media highlighting family medicine, visit www.aafp.org/media. For information about health care, health conditions and wellness, please visit the AAFP’s award-winning consumer Web site, www.FamilyDoctor.org.
