IMPLICATIONS OF PRACTICE PARAMETERS (GUIDELINES)

Practice parameters (guidelines) have been developed for many years. T he first such parameter developed by a Joint Task Force of the America n Academy of Allergy and Immunology, and the American College of Aller gy and Immunology, was on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with asthma. It was sent in notebook form to members of the Academy and Co llege in 1993. An updated version will be published as a supplement to the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology sometime in 1995. Alth ough the overriding consideration in the development of these paramete rs is to improve the level of care for patients, and by doing so to de crease asthma morbidity and mortality recent guidelines have also emph asized cost factors, especially those that are now being developed by managed care organizations. Practice parameters can also reduce malpra ctice liability and studies have even shown a reduction in hospital ad missions by instituting relatively simple measures of patient behavior . There is no doubt that practice parameters will become an important part of our everyday life.