Improving Pediatric Asthma Using Texted Reminders and Teach Back Education
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Kim, Robert H.
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Abstract
Problem & Purpose: An analysis of Asthma Control Test (ACT) data standard for measuring asthma control at a primary care practice in Baltimore Maryland determined that only 18.5% of asthma patients aged 4-18 years old from 2022-2024 had ACT scores documented in their medical record, and 51.4% of those patients were categorized as having uncontrolled asthma (i.e., ACT score ≤19). The purpose of this Quality Improvement (QI) project is to improve asthma control among pediatric patients aged 4-18 years old in the primary care setting by implementing texted asthma education reminders for providers to send to patient caregivers, while utilizing teach-back education to reinforce knowledge of the texted information. Methods: Asthma education and ACTs were sent to the patient’s parent/guardian via text reminders and reinforced during discharge by the provider’s use of teach-back education. Chart audits of each asthma patient seen during the previous week were analyzed during weekly debriefings with the providers to review rates of teach-back utilization, ACT documentation, and uncontrolled asthma. Patients with low, missing, or declining ACT scores were identified to establish a call list to reassess asthma control and direct asthma care accordingly. Results: By week 14, 43 out of 152 (28.3%) asthma patients received teach-back. With all implementation modifications, the site achieved an increased ACT documentation rate from 32.2% (49 out of 152) before the use of all QI strategies to 71.1% (108 out of 152), while decreasing the rate of uncontrolled asthma patients from 64.5% (60 out of 93) to 55.5% (60 out of 108). Conclusion: Teach-back education supported by texted asthma education reminders requires vigilant follow-up to influence asthma control according to patient adherence with ACT documentation. Future studies should focus on teach-back fidelity to analyze asthma education retention.