Reference no: EM133745860

Problem: Asthma is a respiratory disease which causes constriction and inflammation of the airways in the lungs. The disease can often cause acute airway constrictions sometimes known as "asthma attacks". Fortunately, asthma is highly treatable with access and adherence to long-term medications that can reverse airway constriction and reduce airway inflammation. Unfortunately, uncontrolled asthma is still common. In addition, medical costs among patients with uncontrolled asthma are 3-times higher than controlled patients.

Objective: As a leader in the XYZ Healthcare System, you are charged with reducing costs in your high-risk asthmatic patients. A first step is to develop a valid and reliable prediction model to identify patients most likely to require high healthcare resource utilization and high healthcare costs. Therefore, an accurate risk prediction model of future high-cost patients would allow you to more efficiently target the patients in your organization at greatest risk.

Data: You have identified the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) as a potential data resource to help you achieve your objective. Using 2014 MEPS data, your team has identified a nationally representable sample of 2,101 adult asthma patients.