Evaluating a New Asthma Care Pathway for Children Aged 2 to 14 in Primary and Hospital Settings

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the impact of a new Asthma Integrated Care Pathway within the Basque Healthcare Service to improve care for children experiencing asthma attacks. This pathway aims to reduce variability in care among professionals and settings by following a structured, multidisciplinary plan based on evidence. The study includes children aged 2 to 14 years who have had mild to moderate asthma attacks and assesses key quality indicators along with the experiences of families and healthcare providers. The study has two phases a quantitative phase assessing implementation outcomes through a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design comparing care pathway adoption at two integrated healthcare organizations against controls. The primary outcome is the percentage of bronchodilator treatments given with a spacer chamber. Secondary measures include documentation of pulmonary scores, assessment of persistent asthma symptoms, and initiation of background treatment. The second phase involves qualitative evaluation using discussion groups of paediatricians to identify barriers and facilitators related to the care pathway implementation. Participants include primary care and hospital paediatricians and nurses involved in asthma care at the selected healthcare organizations. The study tracks bronchodilator treatment rates and other quality indicators over 12, 24, and 36 months. Data collection involves electronic health records, monthly feedback reports, and interactive training sessions. The study also gathers insights from healthcare professionals through structured discussions to guide future pathway improvements and broader implementation.

Asthma Crisis in Paediatrics: Impact of a Care Pathway in Primary and Hospital Care