Outcomes studies are already beginning to show that the specialist caring for the moderate to severe asthmatic can provide a qualitative difference in the quality of life for his or her patients reflected in spirometric and wellness measures, can provide good clinical results, and can prove cost effective. As well, specialty care of asthmatics can decrease emergency room visits and missed school and work days. The Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology has made the development of outcome measurement tools a priority with a promise to make these tools readily available to allergy and immunology practices in the coming year. Rhinitis outcomes will be studied in the future as well, since its impact on costs and quality of life is also significant. There are many references regarding outcomes for the allied health professional.
Allergists provide outcomes data.
Asthma and Allergy Management News . Medical Outcomes Trust. Asthma Outcomes . Managing Asthma Care . The role of the allied health professional in outcomes assessment will be to assist in gathering the data, compiling it, and implementing individual office and specialty-specific practice guidelines produced or improved by the analysis of the data.