When the ECU Health Regional Pediatric Asthma Program provides care in rural communities across North Carolina, it delivers the resources of a large health system and the latest in asthma research. But the program’s foundation is the relationships it has cultivated with the region’s providers, their patients, and families.
“We want them to know that we're serious and here for the long haul,” said Bailey Edwards, MHA, RRT-NPS, RCP, AE-C, respiratory care manager with ECU Health Regional Pediatric Asthma Program. “We bring evidence-based knowledge and take the time to build that trust. When care providers partner with the families, it facilitates a trusting relationship and ultimately provides optimal patient outcomes.”
ECU Health has spent decades establishing that confidence. In 1995, the Regional Pediatric Asthma Program launched in two North Carolina counties as a partnership between ECU Health Maynard Children’s Hospital (formerly Pitt County Memorial Hospital), local community health programs, and an elementary school. Within four years, the program showed significant decreases in ED visits, school absences, and inpatient care cost for children with asthma.
Today, the program spans 29 counties and has enhanced the lives of nearly 10,000 children who live with asthma. Since 2021, the program has seen a 379% increase in the number of referrals and a 312% increase in the number of children case managed. In 2024, the Regional Pediatric Asthma Program received 2,482 referrals from throughout eastern North Carolina.
Personalized asthma care for everyone
Most patients are referred to the program by a school nurse, primary care provider, or during hospitalization. Program team members then coordinate diagnosis, education, and treatment plans with the patient’s caregivers, primary care physician, or hospital team. Personalized care for each asthmatic may include administration of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) test, which determines the extent of the child’s lung inflammation and how well inhaled steroids can improve it. Spirometry testing may be administered to see how well the child’s lungs are functioning by measuring how much air they can breathe in and out, and how quickly they can exhale.
If there is a financial need, ECU Health provides supplies and asthma medications to the student — often at no cost to the family — through Children’s Miracle Network funding. In the ensuing months, the asthma program team follows up with the student to ensure their treatment program is working.
State and local partnerships have been paramount in addressing the root causes of asthma exacerbations for many patients. When household mold, pests, dust, or other environmental concerns trigger or exacerbate a patient’s asthma, the care team coordinates with the appropriate agencies to rectify the problem.
“If your home environment is a stress factor, it can be hard to worry about asthma inhalers when a larger problem is present,” Edwards said. “We take a holistic approach and work with families to try and mitigate all of their asthma related stressors.”
A “life-changing” impact
To expand the program’s reach, the team analyzes ED and hospital data to identify communities that could benefit from enhanced asthma care. Hourlong lunch-and-learn sessions are scheduled with school officials and primary care providers in those areas to give an overview of the program’s approach and how they may help.
Edwards said that outreach is critical in improving health outcomes for children in rural areas. Without access to specialized care, they would continue to struggle with treatable asthma. “I can't tell you how many parents tell us about a chronic cough that won’t go away or their child not sleeping,” Edwards said. “We're able to bring a different perspective to these rural areas with our knowledge and testing. It’s life-changing for these families.”
