Better Outcomes at Lower Cost - American College of Allergy ...

Indirect CostsDays missed from work for adults withasthma, or those who must stay home to carefor children with asthma, are estimated to costmore than $5 billion annually. Asthma is aleading cause of missed school days amongchildren, causing an estimated 13 millionabsences each year [1]. In one survey of adultswith asthma prior to enrollment in an asthmamanagement program, a total of 194 daysmissed from work were reported by 78patients. Care by an allergist or other asthmaspecialist reduced lost days from work orschool by 80 percent or more. [27] In anotherstudy, nearly 100 patients enrolled in aspecialty intervention program reduced lostwork or school days to 246 over a six-monthperiod,compared to 1,040 days for patientswho did not receive specialty care. [25]How Allergists AchieveHigh-Quality, Cost-EffectiveOutcomesSociety in general, health plan administrators,group plan purchasers and – most importantly –patients benefit when asthma care is managed byan allergist. With their specialty training,knowledge and experience, allergists can:Accurately diagnose the disease, its types,subtypes and severityThe blockage of airways caused by asthma canbe intermittent, so a patient with asthma mayhave symptoms of the disease and yet appearto have normal lung function during a routinephysician visit. The allergist can performspecialized tests such as a methacholine orexercise challenge to confirm a diagnosis ofasthma. These tests are particularly helpful indiagnosing the cause of exercise-inducedshortness-of-breath. The allergist is an expertin determining if symptoms are due to asthmaor to another medical condition.Identify the role of external factors,including allergens that can trigger anasthma attack, and advise patients on howto avoid their asthma triggersMany people with asthma are allergic to oneor more things that trigger their asthmasymptoms. The allergist performs tests toidentify an individual’s asthma triggers andhelps patients develop a plan to avoid orminimize exposure to the allergens thatcontribute to the disease.Administer immunotherapy, or “allergyshots,” to reduce sensitivity to allergytriggersAllergy immunotherapy is indicated for peoplewith allergic asthma who:• have symptoms that are not adequatelyrelieved by asthma medications• are unable to avoid the allergens that triggertheir disease• have unacceptable side effects from asthmamedications• have not responded well to asthmamedications, or need to avoid long-termmedication use.In some cases, immunotherapy also canprevent children with nasal allergies or otherrisk factors from developing asthma.Use current best practice standards todevelop and implement aggressivetreatment plans that focus on asthmacontrolThe allergist understands that each patientwith asthma is unique and requires a treatmentplan tailored to individual needs. Allergistswork with patients to develop self-help plansthat include at-home instructions for assessingasthma control, how to deal with asthma12