Models of Care

Imagine a world where every asthma and COPD patient is able to access the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Reduced asthma- and COPD-related hospitalizations, improved quality of life, lower economic burdens and fewer disruptions in social productivity for affected individuals, would be hallmarks of this vision.

The reality however is that asthma and COPD care is inequitable. Evidence shows that many people living with asthma and COPD languish from the harms of unavailable or inaccessible care (1-2). Further, there is a lack of widespread and consistent adoption of best practices for clinical care of asthma and COPD (3). Understanding the drivers of inequitable asthma and COPD care and designing evidence-based approaches to disrupt them are therefore urgent priorities.

In addition to issues of prevention, which are also sadly tied to disparities in exposures linked to socio-economic forces, addressing inequitable care for those already living with these disorders is a top LAH priority.

LAH takes an interdisciplinary, integrated knowledge translation approach to promoting equitable asthma and COPD care. Our scope of work includes:

  1. engaging patients, clinicians, decision-makers, policymakers, and researchers engagement to identify gaps and opportunities for significant improvements in ensuring equitable care for asthma and COPD along the continuum of care,
  2. research to illuminate underlying foundations of suboptimal care, disparities in airways disease progression and outcomes, and novel interventions to diminish such discrepancies
  3. applying data analytics, knowledge translation, and implementation science tools to translate health research findings into sensitively personalized care as well as improved behaviours, practices, and policies to reduce the burden of asthma and COPD.

This model of targeted knowledge generation and application is poised to transform the current landscape for asthma and COPD clinical care into a more consistent, equitable space where everyone receives the best available care.

References

  1. Gershon AS, Khan S, Klein-Geltink J, et al. Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Copd) prevalence and health services use in ontario métis: a population-based cohort study. PLOS ONE. 2014;9(4):e95899. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0095899
  2. Pleasants RA, Riley IL, Mannino DM. Defining and targeting health disparities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. doi:10.2147/COPD.S79077
  3. Boulet L-P, FitzGerald JM, Levy ML, et al. A guide to the translation of the Global Initiative for Asthma (Gina) strategy into improved care. European Respiratory Journal. 2012;39(5):1220-1229. doi:10.1183/09031936.00184511