Assessment of care and disease management of patients with asthma in an Overseas U.S. Army Health Clinic

The objective of this study was to evaluate care and management provided by family practitioners to patients with asthma. A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients treated for asthma at a military health clinic in Germany. Pertinent information from the National Asthma Education Program guidelines was gathered using a questionnaire. Eighty-five charts were reviewed and 44 charts were included in this study. Overall compliance was calculated using the 22 National Asthma Education Program points (12 questions) investigated by the questionnaire. Overall compliance was 64%. Components of four major categories of asthma care were examined. All categories except one were above or close to the overall compliance percentage - diagnosis (74%), treatment/ control (90%), monitoring (61%), and patient education (25%). It appears from this study that family practitioners are providing adequate, but not optimal, care and management to patients with asthma. Although our findings were encouraging, this study has highlighted that there is opportunity for improvement.