TY - JOUR T1 - Home visits for improving asthma follow-up consultation attendance JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 40 IS - Suppl 56 SP - P746 AU - Javiera Corbalán AU - María Teresa Soto Y1 - 2012/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P746.abstract N2 - BACKGROUND: Our Child Asthma Program provides care for around 500 patients. Every 6 months the population under control is reviewed. Since December 2010 non-attendance (missing appointments for more than 3 months) was recorded, 37.2% were non-attenders. Regular review is a marker of quality care and relates to better asthma control. Non-attendance is a frequent and concerning problem.AIM: Improve attendance to asthma follow-up consultations and learn about the causes of non-attendance.METHODS: We implemented a home visit strategy. Every month the non-attenders were identified and a home visit was planned. Completed visits considered a survey, asthma control assessment and a medical appointment. We measured at 6 and 12 months the non-attenders and if the home visit lead to attendance or not.RESULTS: 147 home visits were done. 67 were completed, with a 65.7% of success (patient attends to appointment). 80 home visits failed and only 16.3% of those patients had spontaneous appointments. At 6 months 17% of patients were non-attenders, and 24% at 12 months. In one year the nonattendance rate was reduced in 35.5%.CONCLUSIONS: Improving attendance is feasible. Looking for non-attenders is an important issue for managing asthmatic children. Causes of non-attendance are diverse and had to be explored deeper. Feeling well despite of uncontrolled asthma and difficult to access appointments are worrisome causes. Home visits also provide the opportunity to reinforce prescriptions in patient's natural environment. ER -