Are we measuring the right things in patient education?

The Child Health Corporation of America (CHCA), the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI), and Medical Management Planning Incorporated developed the Children’s Asthma Care (CAC) measure set. This set of process measures evaluate at the hospital level whether patients aged 2 to 17 admitted with an asthma exacerbation received relievers and systemic corticosteroids during the admission, and whether they were discharged with a complete home management plan of care (HMPC), also known as an Asthma Action Plan. (Morse, et al., 2011)

An analysis of the outcomes (Morse, et al., 2011) concluded compliance with the home management plan of care component was not associated with fewer post-discharge ED visits or asthma-related readmissions. Handing a family a piece of paper did not change health outcomes.

Are you surprised?

Are we measuring the right things in patient education? What if that third measure was the family successfully taught back the contents of the Asthma Action Plan? When presented with a scenario, they were able to apply the information on how to respond appropriately? What if we asked how confident they were in their ability to obtain the prescription meds, have them always available, and follow the home management plan of care successfully?

Patient education may not be as simple as handing folks a piece of paper. But it’s not rocket science, either.

Source: Morse, R. B., Hall, M., Fieldston, E. S., McGwire, G., et al. (2011). Hospital-level compliance with asthma care quality measures at children’s hospitals and subsequent asthma-related outcomes. JAMA, 306(13), 1454-1460.

©2012 Fran London, MS, RN