Impact of the National Asthma Guidelines on Internal Medicine Primary Care and Specialty Practice

Abstract

Results showed significant variation with the recommendations. Areas in particular need of improvement were objective diagnosis and assessment, control of asthma-associated factors, and patient education. Furthermore, the study demonstrated significant variation between specialists and primary care physicians, with the more specialized clinics demonstrating better guideline compliance.

Disparities in allergy testing and health outcomes among urban children with asthma

“…Our findings are consistent with other research studies that have documented differences in various aspects of pediatric asthma care and the standardized national guidelines. 22,23 These results illustrate the need for the implementation of interventions aimed at improving clinical compliance with the national guidelines. Previous work by Cabana et al 24 has shown that physician education on asthma management can improve both physician knowledge and patient health outcomes in a number of communities throughout the United States.…”

Specialized Sleep Care Benefits Patients

“…Specialists are also more likely to appropriately use clinical guidelines for asthma than are generalists. 7 The same principles apply for the observed benefit from treatment at an AASM-accredited sleep center compared with nonaccredited centers. Center accreditation signifies that the facility is meeting the highest-quality standards.…”