Creation of a primary care personal asthma action plan

Abstract

National guidelines recommend that all patients with asthma are offered a personal asthma action plan (PAAP), which contains potentially lifesaving information should a patient experience a decline in symptoms. A PAAP was created for use within a primary care setting based on a review of currently available plans. It was based on a colour-coded system: green for when the patient feels well, amber for a decline in symptoms, and red for an asthma attack. It was designed to fit onto one side of A4 paper, with guidance for the patient to take a photograph of it with their mobile phone. The PAAP was only recently introduced into practice, so its impact on reducing asthma related complications or hospital admissions has not yet been reviewed.