Launching the New Advanced Technology in Asthma Care and Patient Education

Dec. 26, 2012 - PRLog -- Introducing for the first time, the most innovative feature where an Asthma patient can use personal Computer, laptop, tablet or smart phones to practice step by step inhaling method with the onscreen instructor and get the real-time visual feedback at http://www.use-inhalers.com/   Patients can share their recordings with their Physicians anytime for further review and recommendation to improve the inhaler technique.

Use-inhalers leading team announced that they are working towards an interactive approach to inhaler training and Asthma Education by using the latest Webcam technology. Their Major goals include developing a comprehensive asthma education portal that includes interactivity to engage patients, increasing their participation and more importantly, teach correct inhaler technique leading to improved asthma treatment outcomes.

Asthma patients need an opportunity to learn the step by step instructions on how to take the inhaler correctly at their own pace and comfort, each time patient uses an inhaler, a thorough guidance and practice of each step can help the patient to perfect the technique.

Background: Inhaled medications are one of the most important modes of treatment for Asthma patients. Patients using inhalers are always at the risk of using it incorrectly thereby leading to poor Asthma control. Incorrect usage of inhaler device has major influences on the effectiveness of the delivered drug. In spite of the severity of the misuse of inhalers increasing day by day, the issue of using the inhalers incorrectly is poorly addressed in our Asthma management guidelines.

Commonly used tools for education on inhaler technique includes verbal/written instructions or a quick demonstration by healthcare workers (who may not have received proper training). Unfortunately, some patients may receive no instruction due to language barriers and illiteracy. Online tools and videos have proliferated, but are mostly passive and lack important attributes such as ease of use, accessibility, and comprehensiveness.

High rates of improper inhaler technique in recent studies demonstrate a need for more effective tools that can reduce time demands on busy practitioners. This innovative educational tool can be used for regular assessment and reinforcement of correct inhalation technique and can become an essential component of successful asthma management.