Program

Physician Assistant M.S.

Year Approved

2021

First Advisor

Goetz, Cynthia

Abstract

Childhood asthma can be a challenging condition to manage and often requires individually tailored pharmacologic therapy in order to prevent symptom exacerbation and subsequent hospitalizations. Many patients and their families seek guidance from primary care providers or specialty care clinics to help in navigating appropriate medication management and symptom control. This study aimed to identify the role of specialty care management in pediatric asthmatics through the completion of a systematic chart review of patient records obtained from a Minnesota-based pediatric pulmonology clinic. The methodology included a qualitative retrospective cohort analysis which focused on patient referral source, specific treatment interventions, and the corresponding effect on patient outcomes through the utilization of specialty care management. The study gathered data from direct chart review as well as statistical analysis using a paired t-test. The results indicated that the most frequent referral source leading to specialty care consultation came from the patient's primary care provider. Patient medication regimens were also evaluated for the most appropriate and effective treatment options. Lastly, the results showed a statistically significant change in asthmatic symptom control and improved patient outcomes by incorporating specialty care management. The findings suggested how specialty care consultation, most commonly based on a referral from a primary care provider, may impact patient outcomes and improve overall quality of life.

Degree Name

Masters of Science in Physician Assistant

Document Type

Masterʼs thesis

Terms of Use and License Information

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

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