New Treatment for Severe Asthma Introduced at St. Elizabeth St. Elizabeth Health Center is among the first in the United States to offer a new procedure for severe asthma patients, known as bronchial thermoplasty. The Alair® Bronchial Thermoplasty System was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Patients who are 18 years and older and suffer from severe persistent asthma that is not well controlled with inhaled corticosteroids and long acting beta agonists, the current standard-of-care treatments, will be eligible for the procedure.
Timothy J. Barreiro DO, FCCP, FACOI, FACP St. Elizabeth Pulmonary Health and Research Center
“Bronchial Thermoplasty is an exciting, new advancement in the treatment of severe asthma,” says Timothy Barreiro, DO, director of the St. Elizabeth Pulmonary Health and Research Center. “It has the potential to greatly improve the quality of life for many patients suffering from constant asthma symptoms and we’re proud to offer it here at St. Elizabeth.” Millions of patients with asthma struggle to keep their disease under control. Asthma accounts for 2 million emergency room visits in the US each year. Each day, roughly 40,000 unscheduled physician office visits, 5,000 emergency room visits, and 1,000 hospitalizations occur due to asthma. The Alair® Bronchial Thermoplasty System helps patients with severe asthma gain substantially better control over their disease. Bronchial thermoplasty is performed through the working channel of a bronchoscope that is introduced through a patient’s nose or mouth, and into their lungs. The tip of the small diameter Alair® catheter is expanded to contact the walls of targeted airways. This device then delivers controlled thermal energy to the airway walls to reduce the presence of excess smooth muscle that narrows the airways in patients with asthma. The minimally invasive procedure, like many other endoscopy procedures, is done under moderate sedation, allowing the patient to return home the same day. For more information, visit HMpartners.org/PHRC or contact the St. Elizabeth Pulmonary Health and Research center at 330-480-3258. Brief Statement of Relevant Indications for Use, Contraindications, Warnings, and Adverse Events: The Alair® Bronchial Thermoplasty System is indicated for the treatment of severe persistent asthma in patients 18 years and older whose asthma is not well controlled with inhaled corticosteroids and long acting beta agonists. The Alair® System is not for use in patients with an active implantable electronic device or known sensitivity to medications used in bronchoscopy. Previously treated airways of the lung should not be retreated with the Alair® System. Patients should be stable and suitable to undergo bronchoscopy. The most common side effect of BT is an expected transient increase in the frequency and worsening of respiratory-related symptoms.
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New Patient Care Coordination Model at HMHP Hospitals Continued from page 1
Agile – the model will allow quick response to changing demands and community needs for health care services to provide health benefits that meet community needs and ensure effective stewardship of limited ministry resources. Proactive – the model will allow HMHP to accurately predict and project patient demand and staffing needs to provide the right staff at the right time and place to ensure high quality care via highly reliable systems of integrated care across the continuum. The model will exhibit a workforce with cross-continuum competency that can transition between sites. Integrated – the model allows HMHP to provide high quality clinical care and documentation through standardized operational processes that ensure clinicians across the care continuum provide optimal care in the appropriate setting. It also will ensure that HMHP can generate accurate, appropriate, and compliant claims for reimbursement in a timely manner.
Pharmacy Update: 2013 Patient Safety Initiative Orders and Titration, Taper, Wean Intravenous Infusion Orders – Provide Specific Instructions for Safe Administration
Duplicate Medication Orders - please be alert to the provision of specific ADMIN INSTRUCTIONS for DUPLICATE PRN Medication therapy (such as pain therapy or nausea/vomiting therapy). i.e. Ibuprofen 600mg every 4 hour prn pain, “HEADACHE OR MILD PAIN” in ADMIN INSTRUC Oxycodone/Acetaminophen 5/325 tablet 1 tabs every 3 hrs prn pain, “MODERATE PAIN” in ADMIN INSTRUC Oxycodone/Acetaminophen 5/325 tablet 2 tabs every 3 hours prn pain, “SEVERE PAIN” in ADMIN INSTRUC Titration, Taper, Weaning or Intravenous Infusions - please provide specific ADMIN INSTRUCTIONS with parameters to guide nurses in rate adjustments. i.e. norepinephrine (Levophed) titration order – norepinephrine 16mg/250ml start at 12mcg/min, titrate every 10 minutes, “KEEP MAP > 65” in ADMIN INSTRUC.