Plan Summary

GOAL ONE - REDUCE ASTHMA MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY

Strategy 1.1:	Identify best practice for asthma management
Lead Agency:	The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ) A key element of this strategy is the development of new best practice guidelines, and the systematic promulgation and implementation of these to all target audiences.

Strategy 1.2	Conduct routine audits and set up monitoring and surveillance for the implementation of best practice in the health system
Lead Agency:	National Asthma Campaign (NAC) Regular monitoring of the asthma management practices of health professionals and people with asthma is needed for surveillance of best practice. Evaluation of interventions and collection of relevant data such as trends in hospital admissions, Emergency Department contacts and asthma deaths is also important.

Strategy 1.3	Identify the appropriate structure to facilitate and principles of research into reducing asthma morbidity and mortality
Lead Agency:	Australian Lung Foundation (ALF) Currently, research is not strategically planned nationally and not formally integrated. The development of national asthma research priorities would address this gap and guide funders and researchers.

Strategy 1.6	Examine the factors that contribute to the risk of life-threatening asthma and develop interventions to manage these; and

Strategy 1.7	Establish a system for the identification of those at risk of developing life-threatening episodes of asthma

Lead Agency:	TSANZ There is scope for a systematic or evidence-based review of any interventions developed, and a need to establish a research agenda specifically devoted to identifying risk factors and interventions. Other areas to be explored include instruments of prediction for life-threatening asthma, and the feasibility of an 'at risk' register.

Strategy 1.9	Ensure that appropriate medical follow-up procedures are put into place for patients leaving hospital after treatment for asthma
Lead Agency:	The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), Australian Divisions of General Practice (ADGP), TSANZ, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) Examination of evaluated, effective, economically feasible discharge models with a view to identifying or developing an NAC-endorsed model involving hospitals, pharmacists, general practitioners and asthma educators.

Strategy 1.10	Investigate and determine the most effective means of establishing asthma education programs for patients during and after a hospital stay, including follow-up from the hospital to the GP
Lead Agency :	RACGP, ADGP, TSANZ, Asthma Educators' Associations (AEAs), Asthma Australia (AA) This involves evaluation of and feasibility studies of various state and territory education programs, and evaluation and revision of current resources.

Strategy 1.11	Work with health authorities to implement these follow-up procedures on a national basis, using the resources of the Divisions of General Practice, if appropriate
Lead Agency:	RACGP, ADGP, AA, TSANZ Consultation with GPs and thoracic physicians would identify current practice in different hospitals. This strategy aims to increase the referral rate from hospitals, GPs and pharmacists to asthma educators and Asthma Foundations.`

GOAL TWO - IDENTIFY AND REDUCE RISK FACTORS FOR ASTHMA

Strategy S2.2:	Research and implement measures to advise high-risk families about risk factors
Lead Agency:	Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), AA This strategy will involve the evaluation of current resources for families and the production and widespread dissemination of information through outlets such as pharmacies.

Strategy S2.4:	Reduce asthma exacerbations due to tobacco smoke
Lead Agency:	Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) A concerted effort to improve national collaboration and strategic partnerships is needed in order to raise and maintain awareness of the harm associated with passive and active smoking. This should include liaison with Aboriginal and ethnic organisations to develop effective communication strategies.

Strategy S2.5:	Reduce asthma exacerbations due to identifiable trigger factors
Lead Agency:	ASCIA A national awareness program is needed for the public and for health care providers. Further research is needed to identify locally applicable trigger factors in Australia.

Strategy S2.7:	Provide education and resources to health professionals (Relates to all aspects of allergy and immunology relevant to asthma)
Lead Agency:	ASCIA, TSANZ, NAC Surveys will establish the education and resource needs of health professionals, and the merits of different technological formats.

GOAL THREE: ACHIEVE PLANNED AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR ASTHMA

Strategy S3.1:	Establish better communication between health professionals and people with asthma and their carers
Lead Agency:	AA, AEAs, TSANZ, RACGP, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) Interventions to aid communication between health professionals and people with asthma, and resources to improve adherence to good asthma management practices need to be trialled and evaluated for a number of different settings and target groups.

Strategy S3.1.2:	Establish better communication between health professionals groups, taking advantage of technological developmentsin communications
Lead Agency:	NAC Communication strategies need to be developed to reach health professionals in rural and remote areas, and further use should be made of technology such as satellite interactive broadcasts. Technological communication between health professional groups needs to be explored.

Strategy S3.2:	Continue to improve the content and availability of information about asthma to the consumer
Lead Agency:	AA, NAC There is a need for evaluated communication campaigns to promote good asthma management that will reach different target groups in metropolitan and rural areas of Australia.

Strategy S3.3:	Provide equitable access to medication and devices
Lead Agency:	Strategies need to be developed, using exisiting research and further investigation into the cost of medication and devices, to ensure equitable access, particularly for low SES families.