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Doctor showing child an inhaler while parent observes

Asthma Resources for Health Care Providers

Health care providers play an important role in asthma diagnosis and management. The resources on this page can help health care providers implement asthma care that is guidelines-based and follows best practices.

Spotlight on: Asthma Fatality Investigation Summary

Death from asthma, especially in children, remains a problem in California as approximately 12 children die from asthma each year. California Breathing investigated the death of a child in Spring 2022 and developed an asthma fatality investigation summary. This summary document reviews the child's medical care, social barriers to control asthma, and missed opportunities in following Asthma Management Guidelines. The child's death emphasizes guidelines-based medical management, addressing social barriers to care, and providing consistent health care support that is focused on quality care and patient education needed to save children's lives.

Asthma Fatality Investigation Summary preview

Resources for Health Care Providers

Asthma Management Guidelines

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of National Institutes of Health (NIH), coordinates the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Coordinating Committee, which includes an Expert Panel Working Group. The Expert Panel Working Group developed federal comprehenisve asthma management and treatment guidelines, originally released in 2007 and updated in 2020. You can find short guides and the full reports below.

Asthma Management Guidelines - Short Guides

	2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines: At-a-Glance Guide Describes a treatment management approach based on recommendations from the 2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines.
	Asthma Quick Care Reference (PDF) Outlines key steps for diagnosing asthma, assessing severity and control, adjusting treatment, and supporting patient self-management.

Asthma Management Guidelines - Full Reports

2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines: A Report from the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Coordinating Committee Expert Panel Working Group (PDF)

Accompanies the Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management of Asthma (2007) and includes 19 recommendations in six topic areas including the use of inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting antimuscarinic agents, asthma trigger reduction, immunotherapy, fractional exhaled nitric oxide and bronchial thermoplasty.

Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma (2007), EPR-3 (PDF)

Highlights assessment and monitoring, patient education, control of factors contributing to asthma severity, and pharmacologic treatment.

Patient Education Resources

	Fillable Asthma Action Plans developed by Regional Asthma Management & Prevention (RAMP) Asthma Action Plan is a key component of asthma self-management education. This form is to be completed by a health care provider with the patient.
	CDPH Asthma web page Explains what asthma is, symptoms, asthma triggers, and asthma diagnosis and treatment.

Resources for Managed Care Plans, Clinics, and Other Organizations With Asthma Programs

	CDPH Asthma Management Academy (AsMA) Training for community health workers (CHWs) on how to provide asthma self-management education to patients and families with asthma.
	CDPH Asthma Social Media Toolkit Images and messages that organizations can use on social media platforms to spread awareness about asthma during Asthma Awareness Month (May) and throughout the year.
	Medi-Cal Asthma Preventive Services (APS) (PDF) A covered benefit that provides asthma self-management education for all Medi-Cal beneficiaries with a diagnosis of asthma. APS fact sheet from Regional Asthma Management and Prevention (RAMP) (PDF)
	Medi-Cal Community Supports - Asthma Remediation (AR) Managed Care Plans may offer comprehensive asthma remediation services through Medi-Cal California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) Community Supports program. AR fact sheet from RAMP (PDF)
	CDC EXHALE Strategies Strategies to help people with asthma breathe easier.