Staffed by pulmonologists, allergists, public health staff, and an extensive translation services program—with over 30 languages spoken—Boston Medical Center’s (BMC) collaboration with the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) provides excellent clinical and environmental care and promotes improved asthma self-management for the city’s underserved populations. The program educates patients about asthma management and environmental triggers, facilitates access to needed services (medical legal partnership, housing, and insurance), and promotes strong provider-patient relationships that contribute to improved patient outcomes. BMC’s environmental focus includes partnerships with several Boston agencies to launch the Breathe Easy at Home Program, a Web-facilitated program that gives health professionals a way to report potential housing code violations that may worsen patient asthma, and the Boston Inspectional Services Department responds to reports by working with property owners to remediate the situation. In striving to offer effective and accessible primary care and outpatient services, BMC successfully works with their most utilized health plans to provide asthma education and case management services and provides exceptional care without exception. The city of Boston is reaping the benefits of this powerful collaboration. The hospitalization rate for Boston’s children with asthma has decreased 39 percent and emergency department visits are 16 percent lower.
Gina McCarthy, then Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation, U.S. EPA, and Lisa Jackson, then Administrator, U.S. EPA, present Award to (from left to right) Margaret Reid and Dr. Megan Sandel of the Boston Medical Center Boston Public Health Commission