The coding requirements for asthma are increasingly complex (and at times nonsensical). The following resources will help keep on top of this. As they are a little intrusive, the three protocols within these resources need to be enabled at individual practices or CCGs. Contact necsu.cdrc@nhs.net to enable them.
Exacerbation Prompt
A protocol is available to improve coding of asthma exacerbations.
This protocol will trigger for patients with asthma who are prescribed oral steroids if they have not had a code for exacerbation of asthma recorded during the same consultation.
If the patient has COPD and asthma you will be offered the option of coding exacerbation of asthma or COPD or both.
Whenever exacerbation of asthma is coded a prompt will be displayed to advice the user to arrange a follow up within a few days.
Because these protocols are quite intrusive, it has not been enabled automatically. Please contact necsu.cdrc@nhs.net if you wish this alert to be enabled at your CCG or practice.
New Diagnosis Alert
A prompt is available that will provide a warning if a new diagnosis of asthma is recorded and the QoF business rules for recording spirometry, peak flow and FeNO have not been satisfied.
The following search will identify patients with a relevant new diagnosis without appropriate diagnostic tests. You may wish to add this to an Automated Reporting process.
CDRC Quality > Respiratory > ? Asthma QoF 1.0 – Diagnostic Tests Missing
Because protocol is quite an intrusive alert, it has not been enabled automatically. Please contact necsu.cdrc@nhs.net if you wish this alert to be enabled at your CCG or practice.