2016 Community Benefit Report CHAI_160088756_2016 Community Benefit Report_FIN - | Page 9

CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COLORADO
Since program
began in
September 2016:
40
patients enrolled
19
patients graduated
124
A New Perspective
Home Visit Program Prevents Asthma-Related ER Visits
For some families, doctor’s offices can be intimidating, especially when a family doesn’t
speak English or know how to interpret doctors’ questions or prescriptive instructions. And
for kids in these families who struggle with asthma, misunderstanding can mean misuse of
medication and increase in Emergency Department visits.
Here, managing asthma among children in vulnerable populations extends beyond providing
care in clinical settings. That’s where Carmen Espinoza and Elsy David come in.
“To treat the patient and provide the right care, we must know more about their background,
experiences and lifestyle,” says Elsy. Both Elsy and Carmen understand the importance of
asthma management. Elsy’s little brother and Carmen’s son have both faced challenges with
asthma. So when they saw openings for Community Health Liaisons as part of the Just Keep
Breathing program, they knew it was the right fit.
visits completed Funded by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Just Keep
Breathing started in 2016 as a home visit program for pediatric asthma patients at Children’s
Hospital Colorado. The program focuses on high-risk asthma patients within a 20-mile radius
of the hospital, based on numbers of Emergency Department visits and inpatient admissions.
A glance at the
patients served: Once a family volunteers and qualifies to participate, Carmen and Elsy spend six months
visiting their home. Not only do they help the family learn how to administer the child’s
asthma medication, but they conduct home tours where they look for asthma triggers like
mold, standing water, dirty vents or filters and fumes in garages. With a team of providers,
researchers and social workers, Carmen and Elsy help connect the family with the resources
they need to create a healthier home.
88%
Medicaid patients
80%
non-white
39%
“Seeing a patient go from two to three Emergency visits a month to zero, all because we helped
them learn how to properly use their medication, is incredibly rewarding,” says Carmen. The
support doesn’t stop after six months, either. Carmen and Elsy are available via phone, text or
email for questions or concerns, and continue to follow-up with families regularly.
“Going into a family’s home gives you a whole new perspective of this family’s life—a
perspective providers can’t get in a clinical setting,” says Elsy. “You have a better understanding
of what challenges they face and what their day-to-day life looks like. When we understand the
full picture, that’s when we can truly help them.”
with caregivers speaking
Spanish only
*The team looks forward to sharing results in 2017
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