AST015 - Asthma annual review

AST015 - Asthma annual review

The codes referenced in this article are taken from the NHS Technology Reference Update Distribution (TRUD).  Not all of these may be present or selectable in all clinical systems.
The information contained within this article is from version 51 of the Business Rules for Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF).                                                                                  

Indicator definition

Indicator ID

Description

AST015

The percentage of patients with asthma, on the register, who have had an asthma review in the preceding 12 months that includes an assessment of asthma control, a recording of the number of exacerbations, an assessment of inhaler technique and a written personalised asthma plan.


Alert
This is identical to the business rules for AST007 but based on a register that includes patients aged 5+ instead of AST007 which was 6+

What do the business rules mean?

What makes a patient eligible?

Patients are eligible for the AST015 denominator if they are on the Asthma register.

How to achieve the indicator

Patients must have completed all the requirements of the review to pass the indicator:
  1. a completed asthma review 
  2. a written care plan (on the same day as an asthma review) 
  3. a recording of the number of exacerbations (between 1 month before the asthma review up until the date of an asthma review)

What will remove patients from eligibility?

  1. Patients for whom asthma quality care was unsuitable in the contract year
  2. Patients who choose not to receive monitoring in the contract year
  3. Patients who chose not to receive any asthma quality indicator care in the contract year
  4. Patients who have not responded to two invitations for an asthma review at least 7 days apart in the contract year
  5. Patients who were diagnosed with asthma in the last 3 months of the contract year
  6. Patients who were newly registered with the practice in the last 3 months of the contract year


Notes
If a patient achieves the indicator at any point during the year, any exclusions that have also been added are ignored.

What are the common pitfalls/what do I need to watch out for?

Clinicians not completing all of the required data points for the review within the correct time frame is a common reason for not performing on this indicator.  
Alert
While the 3 components do not have to all be coded on the same day, this is the easiest way to ensure a complete review is done. Note that the Care Plan must be added on the same day as a review, but it is possible to document number of exacerbations on a different day (as long as it is followed by a review within the next month/30 days).
  1. In theory, multiple asthma reviews can be conducted during the contract year. As long as the care plan and number of exacerbations are within the required timeframes of any asthma review code, the patient will achieve the indicator.
  2. Not coding asthma invites correctly will often be a reason for not hitting this target.
Info
Despite being referenced in the indicator description Inhaler technique is not actually a required coded component for QOF, and assessment of asthma control was removed as a component from v50 onwards.

SNOMED codes used in this indicator

WarningThe codes referenced in this article are taken from the NHS Technology Reference Update Distribution (TRUD).  Not all of these may be present or selectable in all clinical systems.

Codes for asthma review (REV_COD)

CodeDisplay
390878008Step down change in asthma management plan
401183006Asthma monitoring by doctor
401182001Asthma monitoring by nurse
390872009Change in asthma management plan
754061000000100Asthma review using Royal College of Physicians three questions
275908000Asthma monitoring
270442000Asthma monitoring check done
394701000Asthma follow-up
390877003Step up change in asthma management plan
394700004Asthma annual review
394720003Asthma medication review

Codes for written personalised asthma action plan (WRITPASTP_COD)

CodeDisplay
810901000000102Asthma self-management plan review
811921000000103Asthma self-management plan agreed
527171000000103Patient has a written asthma personal action plan

Codes for the number of asthma exacerbations in the last year (ASTEXACB_COD)

CodeDisplay
366874008Number of asthma exacerbations in past year

Codes for asthma quality indicator care unsuitable for patient (ASTPCAPU_COD)

CodeDisplay
717291000000103Excepted from asthma quality indicators - patient unsuitable

Codes indicating the patient has chosen not to receive asthma monitoring (ASTMONDEC_COD)

CodeDisplay
763221007Asthma monitoring declined

Patients who have chosen not to receive any asthma quality indicator care (ASTPCADEC_COD)

CodeDisplay
716491000000100Excepted from asthma quality indicators - informed dissent

Patients who have been invited twice for an asthma review at least 7 days apart (ASTINVITE_COD)

CodeDisplay
928451000000107Asthma monitoring invitation SMS (short message service) text message
1110841000000103QOF (Quality and Outcomes Framework) asthma quality indicator-related care invitation
185735009Asthma monitoring call verbal invite
928511000000107Asthma monitoring invitation email
959421000000105Asthma monitoring SMS (short message service) text message second invitation
959401000000101Asthma monitoring SMS (short message service) text message first invitation
1109921000000106QOF (Quality and Outcomes Framework) quality indicator-related care invitation
959441000000103Asthma monitoring SMS (short message service) text message third invitation
185731000Asthma monitoring call first letter
185736005Asthma monitoring call telephone invite
92161000000104QOF (Quality and Outcomes Framework) asthma quality indicator-related care invitation using preferred method of communication
185734008Asthma monitoring call third letter
185732007Asthma monitoring call second letter

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