Changing high-risk asthma in Memphis through partnership: Results from the CHAMP program

BACKGROUND:Children in metro Shelby County, Tennessee have disproportionally high asthma-related healthcare resource use (HRU) compared with other regions in Tennessee. OBJECTIVE:To describe the goals, logistics, and outcomes of the Changing High-Risk Asthma in Memphis through Partnership (CHAMP) program implemented to improve pediatric asthma care in Shelby County. METHODS:CHAMP established a multidisciplinary team with dedicated medical staff and community health workers, implemented a 24/7 call line to improve access to care, a patient data registry to address fragmented care, assigned community health educators to improve asthma education and social needs, and partnered with services to address environmental triggers and social determinants of health. Patients eligible for CHAMP are Shelby County residents ages 2-18 years with high-risk asthma enrolled in Tennessee's Medicaid managed care program. HRU outcomes 1-year pre- and post-CHAMP enrollment were analyzed for patients who had completed 1 year of CHAMP between January 2013-December 2022. 24/7 call line data from November 2013-December 2022 were analyzed. RESULTS:CHAMP has enrolled 1,348 children; 945 have completed 1 year (63% male, 90% identified as Black). At 1-year post-CHAMP enrollment, patients had 58%, 68%, 42%, and 53% reductions in emergency department visits, inpatient and observation visits, urgent care visits, and total asthma exacerbations, respectively. The number of asthma exacerbations/patient significantly decreased from 2.97 to 1.40 at 1-year post-CHAMP enrollment. Of the calls made to the 24/7 call line, 58% occurred after hours, and 52% led to issue resolution without a medical facility visit. CONCLUSION:CHAMP successfully decreased asthma HRU use in children with high-risk asthma in Shelby County by implementing initiatives that targeted barriers to asthma care.