Impact of Standardized Discharge Guidelines on Outpatient Follow-Up for Pediatric Asthma Patients: A Retrospective Study.

Authors

Philip Roth, Madison McDaniel, Nyra Ahmed, Ratheya Rajakumar, Shireen Agrawal, Roshini Murugadass, Emma Hillis, Michelle Puzdrakiewicz

Published in

Cureus. Volume 18. Issue 7. Pages e112900. Epub Jul 18, 2026.

Abstract

Introduction Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition and a leading cause of pediatric hospitalization. Asthma education and proper follow-up after discharge improve asthma control and reduce exacerbations. This study evaluates whether standardized discharge guidelines improved outpatient follow-up. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on pediatric patients hospitalized with asthma between March 10 and September 9, 2024, for the pre-intervention period and between September 10, 2024, and March 10, 2025, for the post-intervention period. Outcomes from the six months before implementation of the new asthma discharge guidelines on September 10, 2024 (n = 86), were compared with those from the six months after implementation (n = 77). Primary outcomes were defined as whether referrals and scheduled follow-ups with primary care physicians (PCPs) and/or specialists were provided at discharge. Results Implementation of the consensus was not associated with significant changes in PCP follow-up timing or scheduling. The median time to the PCP appointment did not significantly differ between groups and remained three days before and after the intervention (p = 0.4959). Rates of scheduled PCP follow-up at discharge were not significantly different (52.33% vs. 42.86%; p = 0.2270). In contrast, scheduled specialist follow-up at discharge significantly improved (12.79% vs. 46.75%; p < 0.0001), as did the scheduling of specialist appointments within 30 days of discharge (13.95% vs. 33.77%; p = 0.0001). Conclusion The standardized discharge protocol correlated with more timely, scheduled follow-up with specialists. Future studies should evaluate whether the increase in specialist appointments reduces future asthma exacerbations and hospital admissions.

PMID:
42609908
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 18 Aug 2026.

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