Telephone based asthma management - Financial and individual benefits

Abstract

Background: Telephone based asthma management has a clinically important effect on reducing hospital readmissions. The cost and benefits to the individual have yet to be reported. The authors sought to determine the effect of a telephone based asthma self management program in terms of quality of life, self efficacy, patient acceptance and cost effectiveness. Methods: The authors calculated the cost of delivering telephone based asthma management compared to usual care. Self efficacy and quality of life were measured at recruitment, 6 months and 12 months. Participants were invited to comment on their experience of the telephone based intervention. Results: The intervention was well accepted. At 12 months there was a clinically important improvement in mean quality of life in the intervention group not seen in the control group. Telephone based management costs were offset by reductions in the number of readmissions in the intervention group. Discussion: Telephone based asthma management offers a well accepted, low cost yet potentially effective means of delivering asthma care. Show more