TY - JOUR T1 - Reducing asthma admission: Impact of the Easy Asthma Clinic Network JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 40 IS - Suppl 56 SP - 4342 AU - Watchara Boonsawat AU - Kaewjai Thepsuthammarat Y1 - 2012/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/4342.abstract N2 - Introduction.Easy Asthma Clinic Network has been developed as a model to enhance the implementation of GINA guidelines in Thailand since 2004. We set up Easy Asthma Clinic in the hospitals throughout Thailand. The Easy Asthma Clinic runs by GPs in general hospitals. In the clinic we simplified asthma guidelines and organized the system to facilitate the team work, emphasized the role of nurses and pharmacists to help doctors. We also developed on-line web database for registering and monitoring patients. This study aim to study the effect of the Easy Asthma Clinic Network on asthma admissions.MethodAll asthmatics under the universal health care scheme registered in the Easy Asthma Clinic Network during October 2007 to September 2009 were analyzed for hospitalization rate and hospital days due to asthma. The hospitalization rate and hospital days due to asthma during one year before and after registration were compared.ResultsThere were 22,564 asthmatics registered from 360 hospitals. There were 6,449 admissions, which were associated with 36,588 hospital days during one year period before registration. The rate of hospitalization was 0.2858 admissions/patient/year. There were 4,071 admissions, which were associated with with 11,608 hospital days during one year period after registration. The rate of hospitalization was 0.1804 admissions/patient/year. Registration to the Easy Asthma clinic Network lower the risk of hospitalization (incidence rate ratio 0.39, confidence interval (CI) 0.38 to 0.41).ConclusionsThe Easy Asthma Clinic Network is effective in reducing hospitalization due to asthma. ER -