| Last updated on September 10, 2007 |
Vision
The Asthma Network of West Michigan will serve as a national model of innovation in applied research and educational excellence with the aim of bringing this life-threatening illness under control. Through collaborative efforts with health care organizations and professionals, government agencies and legislators, school systems and community organizations, we will advocate for our patients and their families, develop services that anticipate their future needs and build sustainable coalitions.
Mission
To improve the lives of those individuals affected by asthma by providing educational and professional expertise.
Description:
The Asthma Network of West Michigan has two different, but complementary goals:
- To educate those caring for individuals with asthma -- the physicians, nurses, school and daycare personnel, parents, children, adults and family members
- To intensively case-manage low-income children and adults with asthma. The achievement of both of these goals, we believe, leads to a decrease in the morbidity and mortality associated with asthma - the mission of the Asthma Network of West Michigan.
Services include:
-- Home visits conducted by either nurses (RNs) or respiratory therapists (RRTs) - all of whom are certified asthma educators.
-- Care conferences conducted with primary care physicians for the purpose of developing a written asthma management plan.
-- School/daycare in-services conducted to assist with managing asthma in those settings.
-- Full-time medical social worker (MSW-prepared) on staff - conducts home visits to help families with psychosocial issues.
Referral criteria:
-- Referrals can be from: providers, nursing staff, allied health professionals, the families themselves
-- Children or adults (low-income families are priority)
-- Diagnosis of moderate to severe asthma
-- Reimbursement from: Priority Health (Medicaid or Commercial), Community Choice Michigan, Blue Care Network, Health Plan of Michigan, and Molina Healthcare.
-- Case management also available for patients without insurance (or who are not covered by above plans) – costs are then covered by grant dollars.
Case management outcomes:
-- In 2000, we demonstrated that total hospital charges decreased by $55,265 from the pre-study year to the study year, for an average charge reduction of $1,625 per subject for the 34 children enrolled in our case management program. We further demonstrated that the mean Emergency Department charge/encounter and mean charge/all encounters were decreased significantly as well.
-- In 2001, comparing 45 children we served to 39 children in a control sample (who had never received our interventions), we demonstrated that our asthma case management program significantly improved the clinical outcomes of low-income children with asthma severe enough to warrant an Emergency Department visit or hospitalization. The differences between the cohort group and the matched control group were highly significant.
-- In 2003, we demonstrated that our relationship with a managed care organization (MCO), a first between an MCO and an asthma coalition in this country, significantly improved the clinical outcomes of members with asthma.
-- In 2005, reviewing the charts of 37 managed care (Commercial and Medicaid) patients who have been enrolled in the Asthma Network of West Michigan for one year and were served between 2003 and 2005 we demonstrated a 66% decrease in hospital admissions, 46% decrease in length of stay and 60% decrease in Emergency Department visits.
History:
The Asthma Network of West Michigan began in 1994 when several individuals from area health care institutions and asthma support groups joined forces to centralize asthma resources and focus on collaboration and education. In 1997, the group was awarded 501(c)(3) status and set about its mission. Its volunteer members represent hospitals, pharmacists, physician offices, nursing organizations, schools and managed care organizations from five counties. Network volunteers have carefully set forth a strategic plan which details organizational goals and objectives. In this way, tasks are clearly identified and volunteers have an opportunity to review long-range goals and contribute their talents most efficiently.
The Asthma Network of West Michigan has a thirteen-year track record of serving children and adults with moderate to severe asthma in West Michigan. Our proven case management methodology teams parents and children in the treatment of life-threatening asthma. The results? Asthma Network of West Michigan children become healthier and able to participate in everyday social activities as never before, miss less school and show a reduction in hospitalizations and emergency room visits.
Contact people:
Office fax number: (616) 913-1437
Address:
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245 State Street SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(See a map) |
Web Site: http://www.asthmanetworkwm.org
Directions:
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We are located one block north of Saint Mary's Health Care, on State Street, between Lafayette and Jefferson Aves. |
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