The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on severe asthma care in Europe - will care change for good?

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has put pressure on health-care services forcing the reorganization of traditional care pathways. Aim To investigate; (1) how physicians taking care of severe asthma patients in Europe reorganized care during the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) patient satisfaction with these changes; and (3) impact on future care. Methods In this European-wide cross-sectional study, patient surveys were sent to patients with a physician-diagnosis of severe asthma, and physician surveys to severe asthma specialists (November 2020 - May 2021). Results 1101 patients and 268 physicians from 16 European countries contributed to the study. Common physician-reported changes in severe asthma care included use of video/phone consultations (46%) and change to home-administered biologics (38%), which resulted in high satisfaction levels in most patients (Figure 1). Many physicians expect continued implementation of video/phone consultations (41%) and home administration of biologics (52%). Conclusions Change to video/phone consultations and home administration of biologics was common in severe asthma care during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was associated with high satisfaction levels in most but not all cases. Many physicians expect these changes to continue in future severe asthma care, though satisfaction levels may change after the pandemic.