INMED Partnerships for Children’s case management and education program, Take Charge!, helps families of children with asthma, diabetes and/or obesity more effectively manage their children’s chronic health conditions.

The Take Charge! program focuses on:

1. In-home education and provided four to six times a year and ongoing case management services
2. Weekly health education classes for case-managed families and the community at large
3. Health coverage enrollment and health access services to ensure that children with chronic conditions receive the necessary monitoring and treatment
4. Increased access to health care by working in partnership with local health care providers
5. Promoting positive health behaviors and advocating for health-related policy issues

To date, program outcomes to date have been exceptional.

Among families in the asthma case management program:

• 94% of families reduced environmental asthma triggers in their homes
• 92% adhered to their children’s prescribed asthma medication regimen
• No children required an asthma-related emergency room visit, compared to 80% who sought emergency treatment in the year before enrollment.

Among diabetic and obese participants:

• More than 75% reported taking steps toward a healthier diet and exercising at least 30 minutes daily, compared to fewer than 30% at program entry.
• 87% of diabetic participants adhered to their treatment regimens, including glucose self-monitoring, meal planning, portion control, exercise, medication compliance, stress management and standards of care.
• Participants implemented positive lifestyle changes such as exercising regularly, joining organized sports, cutting back on snacks and junk food, eating smaller portions and making healthier food choices.

Strategies for Success

• Fill the Communication Gap Between Patients and Providers
• Whether because of language barriers, time constraints during their appointments, or because they were afraid to ask questions, participants report that they learn more from the program than they do from their doctors about their children’s or their own medications and devices.
• Family-Focused Approach
• Engaging the whole family in case management helps ensure long-term improvement in health behaviors because it creates a built-in family support structure for each participant.
• Ongoing Accountability
• Participants must be accountable to their families and themselves if they are to eventually display effective self-management.
• Reduce Need for Emergency Care
• Participants are educated in medication management, overall knowledge of health conditions and are linked to a medical home, thus reducing the need for emergency services.
• Simplify Patient Education Materials
• To accommodate the generally low literacy level of participants, the program adapts existing educational materials using simpler terminology. This makes information on health conditions and the necessary treatment less intimidating and more accessible to families who need it most.