EXHALE Strategies
ODHAP receives funding from Center for Disease Control and Prevention National Asthma Control Program (NACP) to help people with asthma achieve better health and improved quality of life. NACP developed EXHALE, a set of strategies that contribute to better asthma control.
Each EXHALE strategy has been proven to reduce asthma-related hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and healthcare costs. They are intended as a resource to inform decision-making in communities, organizations, and states.
ODHAP uses EXHALE strategies to guide program goals. Click through the six EXHALE strategies below to learn about Asthma Program projects and how they support EXHALE strategies.
The National Asthma Control Partners, also funded by the CDC to assist in Asthma Control are:
- Allergy & Asthma Network unites and advocates on behalf of 60 million Americans with asthma, allergies, and related conditions.
- National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is the nation’s leading organization in lifelong environmental learning, creating opportunities for people of all ages to experience and learn about the environment in ways that improve their lives and the health of the planet.
- Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America Provides overview of asthma symptoms, diagnosis of asthma, asthma treatment, asthma triggers, preventing asthma episode, and asthma facts and figures.
(E) Education on asthma self-management
Asthma Home Assessment Project (E H L E)
The Asthma Home Assessment Project (AHAP) is a comprehensive asthma management program at two children’s hospitals (Dayton and Cincinnati) in Southwest Ohio. The goal of the program is to expand access to trigger reduction in the home and provide asthma self-management education for high-risk children utilizing community health workers.
(X) X-tinguishing smoking and secondhand smoke
ODH Partnerships (E X)
ODHAP works with a variety of ODH Programs, detailed below. All programs are represented in various asthma workgroups.
School Nursing
ODHAP partnered with the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) School Nursing Program to share asthma resources on the State Bulletin Board for School Nurses.
Tobacco
ODHAP partners with the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Tobacco Program to provide secondhand smoke and smoking cessation information to Ohioans and discuss the dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke for people with asthma.
(H) Home visits for trigger reduction and asthma self-management education
Asthma Home Assessment Project (E H L E)
AHAP, mentioned above within the “Education on Self-Management” strategy, utilizes community health workers who conduct home visits to provide support for high-risk children enrolled in the program. Community health workers review home environment checklists and ensure that children have an established medical care team.
(A) Achievement of guidelines-based medical management
Asthma Care Improvement Collaborative (E X A L E)
ODHAP created the Asthma Care Improvement Collaborative (ACIC), which is offered in a virtual format. ODHAP continues to host a diverse audience of stakeholders in shared learning opportunities ranging from hospital personnel, Ohio Department of Medicaid, Primary Care Physicians, and other asthma care providers. ACIC meetings cover a variety of topics including asthma-related training, technical assistance and sharing best practices.
(L) Linkages and coordination of care across settings
Healthcare Payer Workgroup (L)
ODHAP created the Healthcare Payer Work Group (HPWG) where member organizations include representatives from Ohio’s health plans, Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM), and Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Partners for Kids, a pediatric accountable care organization. In addition to supporting planning and development of the business case analysis for the Asthma Home Assessment Project (AHAP), the HPWG supported increased access to asthma services and care coordination between payers and providers.
(E) Environmental policies or best practices to reduce asthma triggers from indoor, outdoor, or occupational sources
Communications (E X E)
ODHAP utilizes this website to provide helpful resources to the general public. For healthcare workers, ODHAP sends out a monthly newsletter with important asthma information and updates.