This study reports findings from a demonstration project using continuous quality improvement and community health workers, designed to improve asthma-related health outcomes among low-income, multiethnic, school-aged children. The project involved 7 community clinics treating approximately 3000 children 5–18 years of age with asthma. Cross-sectional chart reviews of 560 patients at baseline and 24 months showed that care-process changes resulted in clinic-wide improvements in the documentation of asthma severity, review of action plans, health services use, and asthma symptoms. In a subset of 405 patients with either moderate or severe persistent asthma or poorly controlled asthma, follow-up revealed fewer acute visits, emergency department visits, hospitalisations, frequent daytime and night-time symptoms, and missed school days, compared with baseline. According to a linear regression analysis, closer adherence to the demonstration model was directly associated with better outcomes.
