Health information technology and the future of school nursing

Asthma is estimated to occur in 7% of school-age children, although population-based prevalence studies have placed this estimate closer to 12%. Among Minnesota children with asthma, more than half had an asthma attack in the past year. School staff, families and healthcare professionals play an important role in helping students with asthma manage their disease at school. Substantial evidence links poorly controlled asthma to poor childhood school performance and attendance and by improving the communication between home, school and health care providers; the student with asthma can experience better care management and health outcomes.

The Beacon Asthma Project in SE Minnesota initiated collaboration among local health care providers, local public health, and several school districts to identify and manage asthma cases using an asthma action plan that is shared through an exchange by electronic health information system portal.

To date, the Beacon Asthma Project in SE Minnesota has 5 health care systems participating in the portal which exchanges Asthma Action Plans and increases communication with 34 schools, who have had school nurses trained in the proper use of the portal. The number of schools engaged continues to grow. Similar to many projects, the Beacon Asthma Project in SE Minnesota came across unforeseen barriers; however each one only brought the Beacon Asthma Project in SE Minnesota closer to a better overall process in developing a variety of “best practice” approaches to improving health and health care delivery in the United States.