Sean M. Frey, M.D.

We will test an innovative technology-enhanced approach to asthma education for children (5-11 years) who are hospitalized due to asthma. In Telehealth Education for Asthma Connecting Hospital and Home (TEACHH), an asthma educator delivers interactive, picture-based teaching in the hospital and applies color/shape labels to medications. After discharge, the educator provides additional teaching and support during a pair of follow-up visits using Zoom videoconferencing, completed 2-4 days after discharge and again 3 weeks after discharge. We will conduct a pilot randomized trial of TEACHH versus a standard care comparison group, and will include 60 patients (30 per group). We will use blinded follow-up assessments by telephone 2-, 4-, and 6-months after the start of the study. We will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of TEACHH, and measure the preliminary efficacy of the program on asthma-related acute care (hospital/emergency room use) and symptom-free days. We will also conduct a qualitative assessment of the TEACHH intervention and family home management needs, to optimize TEACHH in preparation for a full-scale trial.