The original ASTHMAxcel app was developed by Dr. Jariwala, which delivers asthma education and promotes patients' adherence to the national asthma guidelines. The app was developed in accordance with Montefiore Medical Center's regulatory/compliance (determined by the Montefiore Legal department and Einstein-Montefiore Office of Biotechnology) and security (determined by Montefiore IT) policies. Over the last several years the app has been iteratively improved based on patient feedback and has been shown to improve asthma knowledge, asthma control, and asthma-related quality of life among asthma clinic patients. This version of the app has been tailored to the ED, requiring less physician directed education and focusing on common triggers and symptom management. Research associates will ask each patient to download the ASTHMAXcelED app and RA's instruct them on use of the application. RA's will also show every patient a video using the ASTHMAXcelED mobile application in which the investigators demonstrate correct use of an inhaler and discuss asthma triggers.
This protocol focuses on Phase 1 of a planned two-phase research project. Phase 1 aims to test and adapt a prototype ASTHMAXcelED application for the ED. Phase 2 will be an RCT to test the efficacy of a refined ASTHMAXcelED app after being modified based on the results of Phase 1.