Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #113406

Oxiris Barbot, MD, Bureau of School Health, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2 Lafayette St., 22nd Floor, CN-25, New York, NY 10007, 212-676-2469, obarbot@health.nyc.gov

Objective: To determine whether a web-based electronic health record (EHR) and standardized albuterol orders will assist public health entities and community providers manage asthma in schools in accordance with national guidelines. Standardized order indicates frequency of albuterol with metered dose inhaler (MDI) use, instructions on when to administer, re-administer and what to do if a child is not responding.

Setting: New York City public elementary and intermediate schools.

Participants: 8,483 students with asthma for whom medication services were requested between July 2004 and December 2004.

Results: Uptake of standardized rescue medication order was 67%. As compared to the previous school year's medication requests, MDI's with spacers increased from 17% to 84%, MDI's without spacers decreased from 65% to 4% and nebulizer requests decreased 33%. Qualitative feedback from staff and community providers indicated: easier and faster to order and process multiple orders; fewer back and forth phone calls to clarify orders.

Conclusions: These two systems level changes improve the way asthma information is recorded, tracked and retrieved for the purposes of providing medical services, conducting follow up and ensuring quality of care. They represent a significant improvement in documenting quality of care for children with asthma in the New York City public school system.

Learning Objectives: