What we do at the Centre

Our goal at the Asthma Education Centre is to work with you and your physician in gaining and maintaining control of your asthma. Together we hope to achieve the best results with the least amount of medication. You will learn what asthma is, and all about the warning signs and triggers associated with your condition. We will discuss your asthma medications with you and explain how and why they work. You will learn when to use your medication and the importance of having it with you at all times. We will work with you on preventative strategies to attempt to reduce your exposure to triggers that require you to take these medications. We will teach you about peak flow monitoring (measuring how well your lungs are functioning) and help you develop an individual action plan. We will also discuss the various resources available in our community.

What to expect in your visits is here Our basic governing philosophy is here.

How the Centre came to be

Prince Edward Island's first community asthma education centre is named for a man who led asthma education in our community, Dr. Patrick Gill. When Dr. Gill passed away in 1996, his family, friends and community mourned. They also immediately began to plan a suitable tribute to his life, and his work. When plans began in earnest to develop a community asthma education centre, a life-long dream of Dr. Gill's, it was quickly agreed that the centre be named in his memory. CONTINUED

The Knowledge Economy Partnership is a joint federal-provincial initiative to develop partnerships with the ultimate goal of providing better, faster, more effective services to clients, elevating the information technology skills of Islanders, stimulating job creation in knowledge-based industries and at the same time, identifying opportunities to share cost-savings that could result. A summary of our our original proposal to the Knowledge Economy Partnership program offers a good overview of the goals, objectives and benefits of the Asthma Education Centre. Our KEP proposal is here

Asthma Centre Who's Who

The Team Approach is one of the many things that distinguish the Asthma Education Centre from traditional models for delivering medical care. Our Advisory Board includes health care administrators, physicians, educators, nurses, pharmacists, client reps, a respiratory therapist and representatives of related non-profit organizations such as the P.E.I. Lung Association. We are staffed by a Coordinator/Educator, Registered Respiratory Therapist/Educator and Administrative Assistant. For more information about the people who make up the Asthma Education Centre team, please check our Team Members Page below. A project like ours would not have been possible without the generous support of our many sponsors and friends. Take a moment to learn a little about the organizations, government departments/agencies and corporations that have assisted us in reaching our goals. We couldn't have done it without them.

Team members page is here Our sponsors page is here.

For more related information: Knowledge Economy Partnership Alliance of federal and provincial governments, UPEI, Holland College and private sector businesses to identify ways in which they can cooperate and develop partnerships with the goal of providing more effective service to clients, elevate the IT skills of Islanders, stimulate job creation in knowledge-based industries and identify opportunities to share cost-savings that could result. Respiratory Disease Division: Facts and Figures The Burden of Asthma and Other Chronic Respiratory Diseases in Canada Report concludes: "... Generally, more than 80% of asthma deaths are considered to be preventable (Harrison et al, 1993). In this respect, an asthma death may be considered to be a 'management failure'... " Canadian Asthma Consensus Conference Consensus statement on the optimal approach to the management of asthma in the pediatric and adult ambulatory care settings (The Asthma Committee of the Canadian Thoracic Society).