There are a new set of Emergency Department discharge instructions available for asthma patients. The Asthma Initiative of Michigan (AIM), a collaborative effort of the Michigan Department of Community Health and multiple partners from the public and private sectors across the state, developed the new FLARE discharge instructions with the guidance of allied health professionals, asthma educators, health plan representatives and emergency physicians.

Currently, there are no standard discharge instructions for asthma patients following care in Michigan Emergency Departments. The FLARE discharge instructions will allow Emergency Department patients with asthma to have access to care according to national guidelines, including the reinforcement of asthma education, referral for a follow-up medical appointment, and prescription of sufficient medication, including inhaled corticosteroids when appropriate.

The instructions have a simple short-term asthma management plan on one side, and basic information about asthma on the other. The management plan is intended to be used until the patient sees their primary care provider, and the asthma information was designed to be a teaching guide at discharge and for supplemental information once home. The College endorses the activities of AIM, including the concept of this protocol, and encourages each hospital to take advantage of this opportunity to update and improve their discharge instructions for asthma.

The FLARE discharge instructions will be mailed, in hard copy and several electronic formats, to all hospital Emergency Departments in Michigan beginning in February. Hospitals will be able to assess, modify and format the instructions to suit their own needs. AIM anticipates that the instructions will need a champion in each hospital, and will work with local asthma coalitions and other partners to assist in the implementation and integration processes.