Asthma Medication Ratio Predicts Emergency Department Visits And Hospitalizations In Children with Asthma

On February 20, 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a study in Medicare and Medicaid Research Review on whether asthma medication ratio predicts subsequent emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions in children. Results show that children with a low controller-to-asthma medication ratio were 1.5–2.0 times more likely to have a subsequent emergent healthcare visit than those with higher ratios. Study authors suggest increasing controller medication use in these patients would lead to improved ratios and fewer emergent healthcare visits . . .