Emerging Care Management Strategies for Severe Asthma: Integrating Biologic Therapy

Program Description

Asthma remains a leading reason for emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and patients with severe asthma have greater economic burden and healthcare costs. Recognition of asthma phenotypes has helped to drive appropriate therapy but has not always benefited patients with severe disease. Managed care professionals should be familiar with guideline-recommended treatment and management strategies for patients with severe asthma to best determine appropriate interventions. The introduction of biologic therapies that target specific pathophysiology in asthma has provided a more personalized approach to treatment as well as reduced utilization of oral corticosteroids; however, biologic therapies often require prior authorization and involvement of specialty pharmacists for administration instructions and dispensing. Managed care pharmacists must be well-versed in the specific use and indications of available and emerging biologics for the management of patients with severe asthma. This supplement will focus on multidisciplinary approaches using evidence-based guidelines and incorporating pharmacist-led programs to improve outcomes for patients with severe asthma with biologic therapies.

Target audience: Managed care pharmacists

Type of activity: Application

Release date: September 9, 2022

Expiration date: December 9, 2023

Time to complete activity: 1.0 hour
Fee: Free

Educational Objectives

At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Explore the pathophysiology of asthma and the criteria to determine asthma severity status.
• Examine the recent guidelines for the assessment and treatment of severe asthma along with clinical data to support current biologic therapy.
• Identify clinical pathways, formularies, and disease management strategies to effectively utilize biologic therapy in severe asthma.