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Case Study: Asthma and the Asheville Project

Asthma Management

The Asheville Project Medication Therapy Management Asthma Study¹ followed 207 adult patients with asthma from 2 study groups for 5 years. Two employers were represented: the City of Asheville and Mission-St. Joseph's Health System. Another study group focused on diabetes management.

Program Components:

• Participants were categorized based on symptoms—from "mild intermittent" to "severe persistent."
• Copayments for asthma medications were waived.
• Participants had access to self-care information.
• Regular 1-on-1 meetings were held with a certified asthma educator.

Program Outcomes:

• Total cost savings (direct and indirect cost savings combined) were $584,307 for the 5-year study.
• Each participant experienced an average direct medical cost savings of $725 per year.
• Indirect savings (resulting from fewer missed or nonproductive workdays) were calculated at $423,120 over the 5-year study.
• Each participant’s indirect productivity yielded a cost savings of $1,230 per year.
• Annual percentage of participants that visited the emergency department decreased from 9.9% to 1.3%.
• Participants were 6 times less likely to go to the emergency department for an asthma-related event.
• Annual percentage of participants requiring hospitalization decreased from 4% to 1.9%.
• The average number of missed or nonproductive workdays due to asthma decreased from 10.8 to 2.6 per year.
• Participants with an asthma action plan increased from 63% to 99%.

Reference:

1. Bunting BA, Cranor CW. The Asheville project: long-term clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes of a community-based medication therapy management program for asthma. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2006;46(2):133-147.

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