Asthma Case Study

Situation
A 30-year-old DAKOTACARE member had missed a total of eight workdays within a two-month period. The member believed it was a bad cold hanging on until one day she received an initial letter announcing DAKOTACARE’s asthma program.

When she received the education packet that had information on the condition of asthma, its symptoms and triggers, she called a DAKOTACARE nurse, to say, “These conditions fit me. I may have asthma.”

The member went on to say that her doctor had told her in the past that she had asthma and gave her a prescription for an inhaler to help control the symptoms. The patient was in denial that she might have asthma and elected not to fill the prescription.

Solution

After having a consultation with DAKOTACARE's nurse and after looking through the asthma information, she realized the doctor was right. She immediately filled the prescription.

Since that time over four months ago, the patient has not missed a day of work and she’s feeling much better.