NORTHERN Health’s Respiratory Asthma Service and the Clinical Leadership Effectiveness Outcomes (CLEO) Team have won the Primary and Home Care Award at an international awards ceremony in Amsterdam on Wednesday.
The award, handed out at the 12th edition of the Value Based Healthcare Centre Prize, recognised the CLEO Team’s efforts to transform severe asthma care through a value-based digital care pathway.
Chief Health Outcomes Officer and Director of Respiratory Medicine Dr Katharine See said it was exciting to see international recognition for innovative Australian healthcare models.
“This a fantastic achievement for everyone involved at Northern Health and is an important example of how we’re leading the future of healthcare delivery,” Dr See said.
Launched in 2024 as an Australian-first initiative, the Severe Asthma Digital Care Pathway is a proactive, digitally enabled model that reimagines how clinicians support those most at risk of poor asthma control.
It uses structured digital triage and patient-reported outcomes to prioritise those most at risk of deterioration for care and empowers people to better self-manage their health.
According to Northern Health, the initiative has supported 304 patients to date and has reduced average waiting times from 289 days to 149. In addition, 57% of patients who used the model have reported improved asthma control.
Director, Clinical Leadership Effectiveness and Outcomes at Northern Health Tracey Webster said this recognition highlighted what was possible when clinicians, consumers, and value-based healthcare transformation teams work together to redesign care.
“The pathway demonstrates how digitally enabled models of care can move beyond traditional hospital-based care to provide connected and personalised support in the community,” Ms Webster said.
