RT interviews Susan Lloyd, vice president, Asthma & Allergy Division, Respironics Inc
RT Magazine spoke with Susan Lloyd, vice president, Asthma & Allergy Division, Respironics Inc, Cedar Grove, NJ, about the company’s comprehensive new asthma care program for hospitals.
What sets the company apart from other manufacturers in the market?
Respironics’ Asthma & Allergy Division, under its licensing agreement with ZOEY LP, San Antonio, has just launched a pediatric asthma care program that offers a solution to the difficulty of providing meaningful asthma education and management to kids. Through colorful and engaging characters featured in a storybook, coloring book, and parent companion workbook, the Zoey™ Program helps caregivers and health care providers give children a better understanding of how to treat and manage their asthma. The stars of these children’s books include Zoey, a car who has asthma, and his sidekick Light Buddy™, a traffic light.
What does the introduction of Zoey mean for the respiratory industry?
Our Zoey Hospital Pediatric Asthma Management Program offers hospitals attractive, easy-to-understand bilingual education tools; kid-friendly asthma care devices featuring the Zoey and the Zones™ storybook characters; training programs for multidisciplinary staff; asthma treatment protocols and guidelines for the emergency department and inpatient units; policies and procedures; sample documentation tools for assessment, treatment, and discharge asthma education; and outcomes measurement tools. There are also Zoey Programs in development for other markets including retail, home care, and managed care.
What kind of response do you anticipate?
The response to the Zoey program has been overwhelmingly positive. The program is the first of its kind to address the educational needs of both children and their caregivers in a way that truly engages kids. Zoey and Light Buddy are adorable, friendly characters who deliver important asthma education in an entertaining, nonthreatening manner, letting kids with asthma know that their disease is manageable and should not stop them from taking part in their favorite activities.
The educational material is powerful and credible and was developed by respiratory therapists dealing with asthma in their professional and personal lives. The program is marketed to health care professionals. Zoey characters are now featured on key pediatric asthma management products, such as peak flow meters, spacers, and nebulizers, closing the loop of education and recognition from books to products.
How will this program benefit our readers?
For hospitals struggling to find the time and resources necessary to develop a new asthma management program that will meet the needs of their patient populations, the Zoey Program is a complete and expedient solution. This program will be an invaluable guide to developing the foundation of these services.
For those hospitals that already have very successful asthma programs in place, the Zoey Program may provide additional products, patient education, and/or professional services that will enhance the hospital’s existing protocols.
