Study Outcomes - Study 9

Asthma

100%

reduction in readmissions in less than 31 days post discharge

2-hospital trial, inpatient and ER
Virtua Health Systems Montal, NJ

71.5%

reduction in ER use

216%

increase in numbers of patients maintaining Asthma Action Plan after 6 months

Control Group = 1486

16%

readmission rate

26%

ER use within 3 months

44%

following Asthma Action Plan 6 months later

Careguide Group = 27

0%

readmission rate

7.4%

ER use within 3 months

95%

following Asthma Action Plan 6 months later

Control group is one full year of retrospective data. Careguide group is three months. Adherence report by telephone surveys at 30 days and six months, verified by medical records.

HIGHLIGHTS: It is important to note that Careguide is compared to "doing nothing," but in fact is compared against a standard "patient education" program which was in place when the Careguide intervention was launched.

Virtua was most impressed with the amount of persistence, among a population where the nurses had not been successful in winning cooperation. Patients adhered to the Asthma Action Plan more than twice as much when delivered to them in a Careguide Module.