American Academy of Pediatrics Medical Home Chapter Champions Program on Asthma

Location:
141 Northwest Point Boulevard
60007 Elk Grove Village , IL
Illinois

Program Type:

Other

Contact:

Chelsea Rajagopalan
847/434-4311
The Medical Home Chapter Champions Program on Asthma (MHCCPA) aims to increase access to medical homes for all children and youth -- especially those with health disparities -- and to facilitate pediatric practices' adoption and implementation of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) asthma guidelines within the context of the medical home. The network of Medical Home Chapter Champions across states and AAP chapters address these goals by: serving as conduits for the dissemination of best practices related to implementation of the NHLBI asthma guidelines; providing technical assistance, tools, and resources to pediatricians and other pediatric health care providers in his/her chapter or state; and serving as advocates for change at the local, state, and national levels.

In 2008 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
identified a need for the development of a high-impact, national initiative
focused on improved quality care of pediatric patients with asthma, including
the facilitated implementation of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
(NHLBI) 2007 asthma guidelines within medical homes. To meet this need, the
Academy established the Medical Home Chapter Champions Program on Asthma
(MHCCPA). The program was initiated with the support of the Merck Childhood
Asthma Network, Inc. and is now supported by The JPB Foundation as a part of
the Accelerating Improved Care for Children with Asthma Program. The MHCCPA facilitates
the dissemination of best practices and advocacy related to the implementation
of the NHLBI asthma guidelines within medical homes at the AAP chapter and/or
state level(s).

Program Goals

Ø
Increase
access to a medical home for all children and youth, especially those with
health disparities;

Ø
Facilitate
pediatric practices’ adoption and implementation of the NHLBI guidelines within
the context of a medical home; and

Ø
Increase
advocacy efforts for implementation of asthma care within medical homes.

Program Components

Ø
Chapter Champions
Network

Program goals will be addressed through the
development of a medical home Chapter Champions network with representation from
each AAP chapter. These individuals will: serve as a conduit for disseminating
best policies and practices to pediatric health care providers nationwide
through the leadership and networks of AAP chapters; serve as advocates for
change at the local, state, and national levels; become involved in providing
technical assistance, as well as tools and resources to pediatricians and other
pediatric health care providers; and assist in aligning national and state,
local, and/or community priorities.

Ø
Education and
Training

Several modes of education and training geared
toward two audiences—AAP members-at-large and chapter champions, respectively—will
be employed. The goal of the educational and training strategies is to improve
access to mentorship and training regarding how to implement a medical home.
This goal will be achieved by dissemination of information via various
communication mechanisms, and implementation of an educational webinar series and annual conference
for chapter champions focused primarily on medical home, asthma, and health
disparities topics.

For more
information, contact:

Chelsea
Rajagopalan, Program Manager, Division of Children with Special Needs, American
Academy of Pediatrics, at 847/434-4311 or crajagopalan@aap.org.