Children with asthma complications getting better, faster care at emergency rooms in Texas

Time is precious when you have to take your child to the emergency room especially when they are having trouble breathing.

The Children's Hospital Association of Texas or CHAT knows that and is pushing a new policy that doctors at several hospitals are now following. Asthma is one of the main reasons that children visit emergency rooms. Thanks to hard data children are now spending less time in the hospital and getting better, faster care.

Dr. Sujit Iyer is the assistant medical director for the emergency department at Dell Children's Medical Center.

"Before CHAT a parent would have to tell their story four or five times and wait on treatment," said Iyer. Now, that's not the case. "They tell us what they're here for and receive steroids and breathing treatments. It means they are staying for a shorter amount of time," said Iyer.

Time often means money in the healthcare industry. CHAT is collaborating with doctors to see that regardless the size of the emergency room this practice is put in place. Iyer hopes that parents realize that the hospitals are trying to speak the same language.

"The rising cost of healthcare is something everyone is aware of and people are looking for value in the care they receive," said Dana Danaher with CHAT. "We are very fortunate that in the pediatric world children's hospitals come together."

Asthma is just the first condition the group is tackling. Now that the process is in place they are looking at septic shock and bronchiolitis