A team-based approach to providing asthma action plans.

BACKGROUND: National guidelines for treatment of asthma include recommendations for providing written asthma action plans (AAPs) to improve outcomes through patient self-management. However, AAP completion rates remain limited in practice.

METHODS: We developed a team-based approach for the delivery of care to asthma patients in a primary care setting that involved integration of an electronic clinical quality management system and provision of written AAPs by registered nurses.

RESULTS: The percentage of patients with AAPs increased after implementation of clinical reminders and nurse-led provision of written AAPs.

CONCLUSION: Proper training, use of an electronic clinical reminder system, and enhanced engagement of registered nurses can improve AAP completion rates in a team-based primary care setting.