Participating Faculty: Improving Asthma Care

This supplement to The American Journal of Managed Care describes the clinical and economic burden of asthma, and reviews guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma, including recommended pharmacologic therapy. It discusses the efficacy of new and emerging therapies in asthma, and their impact on patients’ quality of life. This supplement also describes how asthma care can be quantified and explains how managed care programs can improve asthma control.

Faculty

Jonathan D. Campbell, PhD

Assistant Professor

Department of Clinical Pharmacy

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

School of Pharmacy

Aurora, Colorado

Gene L. Colice, MD

Director of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Respiratory Services

Washington Hospital Center

Washington, DC

Aidan A. Long, MD

Clinical Director, Allergy and Immunology

Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts

Faculty Disclosures

These faculty have disclosed the following relevant commercial financial relationships or affiliations in the past 12 months.

Jonathan D. Campbell, PhD

Consultant: Amgen, Veritech

Gene L. Colice, MD

Consultant/advisory board/honoraria/lecturer/meeting/conference attendance: Abbott, Boehringer Ingelheim, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, MedImmune, Pearl Therapeutics, Pfizer, Teva

Aidan A. Long, MD

Expert testimony: GlaxoSmithKline

The planning staff from the University of Cincinnati, The American Journal of Managed Care, and the Pharmacy Times Office of Continuing Professional Education have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Acknowledgment

Editorial support for this supplement was provided by James Radke, PhD; he has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

The contents of this supplement may include information regarding the use of products that may be inconsistent with or outside the approved labeling for these products in the United States. Physicians should note that the use of these products outside current approved labeling is considered experimental and are advised to consult prescribing information for these products.

Signed disclosures are on file at the office of The American Journal of Managed Care, Plainsboro, New Jersey.

Improving Asthma Care: An Update for Managed Care

Release date: March 28, 2011

Expiration date: March 28, 2012

Estimated time to complete activity: 2.5 hours

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Merck & Co, Inc.

Intended Audience

The audience for this supplement consists of medical directors, pharmacy directors, and other managed care professionals who oversee the care of patients with asthma.

Statement of Educational Need

This educational activity will educate and inform managed care professionals about the clinical and economic burden of asthma, the importance of achieving asthma control, and various strategies to help improve asthma outcomes. One strategy includes the use of new and emerging asthma therapies, which may help managed care organizations optimize the management of asthma.

Asthma exacts a severe national burden through patient morbidity and mortality, rising healthcare costs, and employee presenteeism and absenteeism. To improve diagnosis and treatment, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute established the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program guidelines in 1997. Although these guidelines have been updated periodically and provide recommendations for appropriate management, evidence suggests that they are not being properly implemented. Other barriers to effective asthma management include failure to properly diagnose asthma and patient nonadherence to therapy. Knowledge deficits exist on the part of providers and patients regarding several aspects of asthma control, including the clinical definition of asthma, awareness of environmental factors and triggers, what to do in cases of severe, persistent asthma, and awareness of the newer and emerging therapies. Managed care organizations can help increase adherence to guideline recommendations, increase the percentage of patients on long-term medications, decrease hospitalizations, educate providers and patients, and improve patient satisfaction with care and quality of life. Addressing these deficits is critical to improving asthma management.

Educational Objectives

After completing this activity, the participant should be able to:

• Describe the significance of unmet needs among people with asthma and elucidate contributing factors to poor asthma control.
• Discuss the pharmacoeconomics of asthma therapy as it relates to clinical outcomes.
• Examine new and emerging therapies for asthma and assess their role in the treatment of asthma.
• Identify strategies for improving asthma control.

Disclosure Policy

According to the disclosure policies of the University of Cincinnati and Pharmacy Times Office of Continuing Professional Education, faculty, editors, managers, and other individuals who are in a position to control content are required to disclose any relevant financial relationships with relevant commercial companies related to this activity. All relevant conflicts of interest that are identified are reviewed for potential conflicts of interest. If a conflict is identified, it is the responsibility of the University of Cincinnati and Pharmacy Times Office of Continuing Professional Education to initiate a mechanism to resolve the conflict(s). The existence of these interests or relationships is not viewed as implying bias or decreasing the value of the presentation. All educational materials are reviewed for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies reported, and levels of evidence.

Physician Continuing Medical Education

Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the University of Cincinnati. The University of Cincinnati is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation

The University of Cincinnati designates this enduring material activity for a maximum of 2.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Pharmacist Continuing Education

Accreditation and Credit Designation

Pharmacy Times Office of Continuing Professional Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This program is approved for 2.5 contact hours (0.25 CEUs) under the ACPE universal program number of 0290-9999-11-015-H01-P. This program is available for CE credit through March 28, 2012.

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