A workshop on asthma management programs and centers in Brazil: reviewing and explaining concepts

• Published in: Jornal brasileiro de pneumologia Vol. 41; no. 1; pp. 03 - 15
• Main Authors: Rafael Stelmach, Alcindo Cerci Neto, Ana Cristina de Carvalho Fernandez Fonseca, Eduardo Vieira Ponte, Gerardo Alves, Ildely Niedia Araujo-Costa, Laura Maria de Lima Belizário Facury Lasmar, Luci Keiko Kuromoto de Castro, Maria Lucia Medeiros Lenz, Paulo Silva, Alberto Cukier, Alexssandra Maia Alves, Aline Silva Lima-Matos, Amanda da Rocha Oliveira Cardoso, Ana Luisa Godoy Fernandes, Bruno Piassi de São-José, Carlos Antônio Riedi, Deborah Schor, Décio Medeiros Peixoto, Diego Djones Brandenburg, Elineide Gomes dos Santos Camillo, Faradiba Sarquis Serpa, Heli Vieira Brandão, João Antonio Bonfadini Lima, Jorge Eduardo Pio, Jussara Fiterman, Maria de Fátima Anderson, Maria do Socorro de Lucena Cardoso, Marcelo Tadday Rodrigues, Marilyn Nilda Esther Urrutia Pereira, Marti Antila, Sonia Maria Martins, Vanessa Gonzaga Tavares Guimarães, Yara Arruda Marques Mello, Wenderson Clay Correia de Andrade, William Salibe-Filho, Zelina Maria da Rocha Caldeira, Álvaro Augusto Souza da Cruz-Filho, Paulo Camargos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Pneumologia e Tisiologia 01.02.2015
• Subjects: Asma; Centros educacionais de áreas de saúde; Centros médicos acadêmicos; Organizações de planejamento em saúde; Programas de assistência gerenciada; Programas médicos regionais
• ISSN: 1806-3756
• DOI: 10.1590/S1806-37132015000100002

Objective: To report the results of a workshop regarding asthma management programs and centers (AMPCs) in Brazil, so that they can be used as a tool for the improvement and advancement of current and future AMPCs. Methods: The workshop consisted of five presentations and the corresponding group discussions. The working groups discussed the following themes: implementation of asthma management strategies; human resources needed for AMPCs; financial resources needed for AMPCs; and operational maintenance of AMPCs. Results: The workshop involved 39 participants, from all regions of the country, representing associations of asthma patients (n = 3), universities (n = 7), and AMPCs (n = 29). We found a direct relationship between a lack of planning and the failure of AMPCs. Based on the experiences reported during the workshop, the common assumptions about AMPCs in Brazil were the importance of raising awareness of managers; greater community participation; interdependence between primary care and specialized care; awareness of regionalization; and use of medications available in the public health system. Conclusions: Brazil already has a core of experience in the area of asthma management programs. The implementation of strategies for the management of chronic respiratory disease and their incorporation into health care system protocols would seem to be a natural progression. However, there is minimal experience in this area. Joint efforts by individuals with expertise in AMPCs could promote the implementation of asthma management strategies, thus speeding the creation of treatment networks, which might have a multiplier effect, precluding the need for isolated centers to start from zero.