Modernizing Easy Breathing
Prior to the spread of COVID-19, we received funding from the Cigna Foundation in late 2018 to develop a digital version of our nationally recognized Easy Breathing program. Our intent was to modernize the formerly paper-based program to keep it simple and user-friendly for providers.
Easy Breathing translates complex national asthma guidelines into a usable format for pediatricians, primary care practitioners, and family medicine practitioners. The evidence-based asthma management program helps providers improve diagnosis rates of asthma in pediatric patients and also helps create a standardized approach for them to help keep asthma under control.
In going digital, Easy Breathing is now accessible to child health providers through the Tonic iPad-based platform. Previously, patients and providers filled out paper surveys. We launched a pilot test of the digital program at Community Health Services (CHS) in Hartford in May 2019. Through Tonic, patients with asthma complete all Easy Breathing forms on a tablet. Providers then create severity-appropriate treatment plans on the tablet, which are easily shareable with school nurses.
In January and February of 2020, before COVID-19, the utilization of digital Easy Breathing by CHS providers reached a clinic average of 82 surveys per month.
