Implementing a protocol for remote asthma reviews in primary care

Abstract

Asthma affects over 5 million people in the United Kingdom (British Lung Foundation, BLF, 2021), with evidence suggesting that poor management is a contributing factor to a majority of asthma related morbidity (British Thoracic Society, BTS, 2019). It is recommended that asthma reviews in Primary Care should be conducted at least annually, with personalised treatment tailored to the patient's needs (Royal College of Physicians, 2014) and take the opportunity to reinforce good inhaler technique and trigger avoidance (BTS, 2019). Historically, asthma reviews have been face-to-face appointments, however, following the impact of the global pandemic, SARS-Cov-2; it is common for such reviews to be missed potentially leaving patients at risk. This paper explores the use of remote consultations for asthma reviews, with focus on a protocol to support this type of review in a primary care setting, ensuring patient safety is paramount.