Asthma, once a debilitating disease with few treatment options, is today a highly manageable condition for most of the nearly 15 million Americans who have it. Approximately one-third of these are children. Through education and well-managed care, people with asthma can now lead full and productive lives.

The Asthma Center at Lahey Clinic is designed to assist primary care physicians in managing their own asthma patients. Our focus is on comprehensive evaluation, treatment and patient education for asthma patients whose conditions range from mild to severe.

Bringing together specialists from Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy & Immunology, and Pharmacy, we provide a team approach to the evaluation and treatment of asthma conditions. More specifically, our goals are as follows:

• To improve and maintain health and quality of life of children and adults with asthma
• To reduce the need for emergency treatment or hospitalization, thereby reducing the cost of managing asthma
• To improve asthma care by participating in clinical research

Through education about asthma triggers and careful monitoring of patients' progress, emergency treatments and hospitalizations for high-risk patients have decreased dramatically at Lahey Clinic since the Asthma Center began operations in 1996.