Reducing hospital admission through computer supported education for asthma patients

Abstract Objective : To evaluate a personalised computer supported education programme for asthma patients. Design : Pragmatic randomised trial comparing outcomes over 12 months between patients taking part in an enhanced education programme (four personalised booklets, sent by post) and patients receiving conventional oral education at outpatient or surgery visits. Setting : Hospital outpatient clinics and general practices in north east Scotland. Subjects : 801 adults attending hospital outpatient clinics, with a diagnosis of asthma confirmed by a chest physician and pulmonary function reversibility of at least 20%. Main outcome measures : Numbers of hospital admissions, consultations with general practioner for asthma, steroid courses used, bronchodilators and inhaled steroids prescribed, days of restricted activity, and disturbed nights. Results : Patients with asthma judged too severe for randomisation between clinic care and integrated care and thuse retained in clinic care had 54% fewer hospital admissions after receiving enhanced education than did the control group (95% confidence interval 30% to 97%; P