Abstract
Background: Co-morbid mental health and asthma is associated with lower quality of life and poorer asthma control. Quality improvement (QI) tools inform service development and treatment choice for patients.
Aim: To develop an integrated physical and mental health treatment protocol and resource for asthma and anxiety using QI methods such as the action effect diagram (AED) and plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles.
Methods: A multidisciplinary team created an AED in 2 sessions. The team mapped a patient journey of care, identifying a shared project aim and factors which contribute to this aim. The team then agreed on which factors to prioritise. A subsequent 1.5 hour session used PDSA cycles to develop a treatment protocol and resource.
Results: Through the AED the shared aim was identified: to improve health, wellbeing and quality of life of people living with asthma. The development of the treatment protocol and resource was prioritized. PDSA cycles facilitated the development of a 7 session programme for anxiety and asthma management with a guided self help resource to accompany each session. The 7 sessions identified were: Interaction between asthma, anxiety and panic; Cognitive behavioural therapy model and relaxation; Worry management tools; Behavioural activation; Negative thoughts and social anxiety; Managing panic attacks; Maintaining wellbeing and good holistic asthma control.
Conclusions: The use of structured QI tools facilitated effective multidisciplinary collaborative working, resulting in consensus of an innovative treatment protocol. This provided the basis of a new clinical resource which will be tested using QI methodology to improve clinical practice and patient care.
- Copyright ©the authors 2016