Asthma care in the Primary Care setting: Experience of the Police Clinic

 

FUNG En Po,

Police Medical Clinic, Gadong, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

 

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Asthma is common and is still associated with preventable mortality. Most asthma patients are managed in the outpatient settings and management follow standardised guidelines. The constituents of good management of asthma need to be evidence-based and every clinic needs to assess their management plan to assess conformity to guidelines in order to provide the best care to patients. This study assess the management of asthma in a government outpatient clinic. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was performed to evaluate care given to patients with asthma at the Police Medical Clinic within a 12-month study period. Evaluation was compared to several evidence-based measurements. Results: There were 242 patients suitable for analysis. A recording of asthma review, inhaler-technique check, and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) assessment were found in 51 (21%), 6 (2%), and 25 (14%) patients respectively. There were 26 (11%) patients who had their smoking status recorded, and none who had a recording of a written action plan given. There were 15 (33%) patients who had their occupation status recorded, 41 (80%) patients who had an assessment of symptom control recorded at reviews, and six (86%) patients who had their compliance to medication assessment recorded. Conclusion: Care given to asthmatic patients in the clinic was of suboptimal quality in several aspects, due to suspected issues centred on patients' behaviour, doctors' practice, recording system, and accuracy of diagnosis. 

 

Keywords: Asthma management, control, primary care, exacerbation

 

Correspondence author: En Po FUNG, Police Medical Clinic, Department of Public Health, Bandar Seri Begawan, Ministry of Health, Brunei Darussalam. E mail: EPFUNG1@yahoo.co.uk

 Brunei Int Med J. 2015; 11 (1): 36-41

 

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