For Release: October 27, 1997
Contact:
Jim Augustine (703) 644-6824
Mike White (703) 739-1363
Press Room (as of 10-26-97); (504) 670-6615
HOSPITAL PROGRAM REDUCES HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS AND
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS BY 80% FOR SEVERE ASTHMATICS
New Orleans - Emergency department visits and hospitalizations among severe
asthmatics were reduced by more than 80 percent at a South Bronx hospital
as a result of a comprehensive care program, according to a report
presented today at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of
Chest Physicians.
Out of 835 patients with moderate to severe asthma seen at the general
asthma clinic of the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in New York
City's South Bronx, 220 were enrolled in a comprehensive care program for
asthmatics which was staffed by a full-time pulmonologist and two nurses.
Beginning in 1990, patients with severe asthma involving multiple
hospitalizations and frequent emergency department visits or as walk-ins
during the week.
Dr. Hani Labadidi and collegues followed 106 of these patients who averaged
slightly over 50 years of age and were mostly female. Eighty-five percent
were Hispanic and 12 percent were African American. They had had their
asthma for an aeverage of 34 years. Many of the patients had been enrolled
in the program for over four years.
Through an aggressive treatment plan, the program was able to reduce the
rate of hospitalization by 83.6% and emergency department visits by 82.5
percent. In addition, the rate of intubation (inserting a hollow tube in
the trachea to allow breathing) was reduced by 77.1 percent. On average,
the comprehensive care program was able to reduced hospitalizations from
over 6 per year to one admission per year. Emergency department visits on
average were cut from 13 visits per year to slightly over 2.
Investigators said the study illustrated than an aggressive treatment
program in an inner city hospital could significantly cut down on
hospitalizations and emergency department visits and related costs.
RSS