March 31, 2010 - Asthma: A Business Case for Employees and Health Care Purchasers urges businesses to invest in asthma management and prevention for their employees and dependents to improve quality of life, increase worker productivity, and reduce health care costs. Authored by Health Resources in Action and the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, this new report details three strategies employers can pursue to cost-effectively bring asthma under control:

1. aligning employee health benefits with recommended best practices for asthma;
2. supporting employees in overcoming barriers to self-management of asthma; and,
3. ensuring healthy work environments.

Data shows widespread improvements in asthma patients' health when a team of providers supplements primary and specialist health care with home assessments and reduction of home-based triggers. In-home education and environmental interventions can greatly improve patients' quality of life, and often decrease medical encounters. Data also indicates that the financial savings to the health and housing sector of in-home, preventive interventions are significant.

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