GoTo Telemed, the nation's leading integrated telehealth ecosystem serving over 10 million patients nationwide, today announced the launch of its comprehensive Asthma Management Protocol, a structured virtual care program designed to address the full spectrum of asthma presentations through evidence-based treatment algorithms, integrated remote monitoring, and personalized patient education. Delivered by a multidisciplinary network of pulmonologists, allergists, and specialized respiratory nurses, this program brings expert asthma care directly to patients nationwide.

Asthma affects more than 260 million people worldwide and is responsible for over 450,000 deaths annually, the vast majority of which are preventable with appropriate evidence-based care . The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) has designated "Access to anti-inflammatory inhalers for everyone with asthma" as the theme for World Asthma Day 2026, emphasizing that inhaled corticosteroids are essential for controlling the underlying disease and preventing attacks . GoTo Telemed's protocol directly addresses this urgent need by ensuring every patient receives guideline-based anti-inflammatory therapy regardless of geographic location.

"Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide, yet preventable deaths continue to occur because patients lack access to appropriate anti-inflammatory therapy and ongoing support," said a GoTo Telemed spokesperson. "Our Asthma Management Protocol operationalizes the latest GINA 2026 recommendations, ensuring that every patient—from young children to adults with severe disease—receives inhaled corticosteroid-containing therapy as the foundation of their care. Through integrated remote monitoring, connected inhaler sensors, and virtual specialist consultations, we are making guideline-based asthma care accessible to all."

Comprehensive Clinical Services Across the Asthma Spectrum

GoTo Telemed's Asthma Management Protocol addresses the full range of disease severity through specialized clinical pathways informed by the latest evidence from GINA 2026, the American College of Chest Physicians, and NICE guidance :

Service Component Description and Clinical Applications
Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation Thorough clinical assessment including spirometry interpretation, bronchodilator responsiveness testing, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) measurement, and blood eosinophil counts to determine asthma endotype (T2-high vs. T2-low) and guide treatment selection .
GINA 2026-Aligned Treatment Protocols Evidence-based stepwise therapy ensuring every patient receives inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)-containing medication. For mild asthma, low-dose ICS-formoterol as needed; for moderate-severe asthma, maintenance and reliever therapy (MART) with ICS-LABA combinations .
Severe Asthma Biologic Management For the 5-10% of patients with severe asthma despite optimized inhaled therapy, specialist consultation for biologic agent selection (omalizumab, mepolizumab, reslizumab, benralizumab, dupilumab, tezepelumab) guided by biomarkers including blood eosinophils, FeNO, and asthma endotype .
Pediatric Asthma Specialty Care Age-appropriate protocols following child-specific guidelines, with recognition that asthma in children differs fundamentally from adult disease. For children under 6 years, diagnosis based on clinical features and therapeutic trial; for children 6-11 years, stepwise therapy with age-appropriate inhaler devices and spacers .
Connected Inhaler Sensor Integration The platform supports Bluetooth-enabled inhaler sensors (HeroTracker Sense, FDA-cleared) that track medication adherence, technique, and usage patterns, transmitting data to the care team for proactive intervention .
Home Spirometry and Peak Flow Monitoring Integration with Bluetooth spirometers (MIR SmartOne) enables patients to perform and transmit lung function measurements (FEV1, FVC, PEF) from home, with results automatically reviewed by the clinical team .
Symptom and Trigger Tracking Digital diaries enable patients to log symptoms, peak flow readings, and potential triggers (air quality, allergens, exercise), with AI-powered analysis identifying patterns and predicting exacerbation risk .
Digital Personalised Asthma Action Plan Each patient receives a digital, interactive asthma action plan accessible via smartphone that guides them through green/yellow/red zone management with tailored instructions for medication adjustment and when to seek care .
Inhaler Technique Education and Coaching Video-based instruction and live virtual coaching to ensure proper inhaler technique, which is essential for medication effectiveness. Studies demonstrate that many patients struggle with correct inhaler use, leading to poor control .
Evidence-Based GINA 2026 Treatment Framework

The protocol is anchored in the latest GINA 2026 recommendations, which emphasize universal access to anti-inflammatory therapy :

Core Principle: Every person with asthma, including most pre-school children, should receive inhaled corticosteroid-containing medication. These inhalers reduce the risk of asthma attacks and prevent preventable asthma deaths .

Preferred Reliever Therapy: Short-acting beta-agonists (SABAs) alone are no longer recommended as first-line reliever therapy. Instead, patients should receive combination 2-in-1 inhalers containing both an inhaled corticosteroid and a quick-acting reliever, which treat symptoms while preventing attacks and reducing hospital admissions .

Stepwise Approach for Adults and Adolescents:

Step Preferred Treatment
Step 1-2 (Mild Asthma) As-needed low-dose ICS-formoterol
Step 3 (Moderate Asthma) Low-dose ICS-LABA maintenance and reliever therapy (MART)
Step 4 (Moderate-Severe) Medium-dose ICS-LABA MART
Step 5 (Severe Asthma) High-dose ICS-LABA MART + add-on therapy (long-acting muscarinic antagonists, biologics)
Pediatric-Specific Considerations: For children 6-11 years, stepwise therapy follows similar principles with age-appropriate dose adjustments. For children under 6 years, diagnosis is based on symptom patterns and therapeutic trial, with treatment including as-needed ICS-formoterol or regular low-dose ICS with SABA as needed .

Severe Asthma and Biologic Selection

For patients with severe asthma (5-10% of all asthma patients) who account for nearly half of asthma-related healthcare costs, the protocol incorporates the 2026 American College of Chest Physicians guideline on biologic management :

Biologic Agents: Selection among omalizumab (anti-IgE), mepolizumab/reslizumab (anti-IL5), benralizumab (anti-IL5Rα), dupilumab (anti-IL4Rα), and tezepelumab (anti-TSLP) is guided by:

Asthma endotype: T2-high vs. T2-low based on blood eosinophils and FeNO

Comorbid conditions: Nasal polyps, atopic dermatitis, eosinophilic granulomatosis

Baseline characteristics: Exacerbation frequency, lung function impairment, oral corticosteroid dependence

Patient preferences: Route of administration, frequency, cost considerations

The guideline notes that evidence for biologic selection is limited by absence of comparative effectiveness trials, and shared decision-making is essential .

Technology-Enhanced Asthma Management Platform

GoTo Telemed's Asthma Management Protocol leverages cutting-edge digital health tools validated in peer-reviewed research:

AirPredict-Integrated Platform: Drawing on the AirPredict eHealth platform study published in Frontiers in Digital Health, the platform integrates wearable sensors (Fitbit Charge 6 for heart rate and activity), air quality monitors (Atmotube PRO for indoor/outdoor pollutant exposure), and Bluetooth spirometry to provide precise, real-time data on individual exposures and health outcomes . A feasibility study demonstrated high usability with average Single Ease Question scores ranging from 5.5 to 6.8 out of 7 for patients and 6.6 to 6.8 for clinicians .

Connected Inhaler Sensors: Integration with FDA-cleared, CE-marked inhaler sensors (HeroTracker Sense) enables objective monitoring of:

Medication adherence (date/time of each dose)

Inhaler technique (flow rate, duration)

Rescue inhaler usage patterns (early warning of deterioration)

Real-time data is transmitted to the clinical team, enabling proactive intervention before exacerbations require emergency care .

Remote Monitoring and Clinical Alerts: The platform automatically generates alerts for:

Declining peak flow or FEV1 values

Increased rescue inhaler usage

Missed controller medications

Symptom worsening on digital diaries

Air quality triggers exceeding thresholds

These alerts enable timely clinical outreach, preventing emergency department visits and hospitalizations .

Digital Asthma Action Plans: Following NICE-recommended best practices, each patient receives a digital personalized asthma action plan that is always accessible via smartphone—eliminating the problem of lost paper plans. The plan provides clear guidance on:

Daily controller medication regimens

Recognition of worsening control

When and how to increase treatment

When to seek urgent medical attention

NICE-Recommended Digital Platforms

The protocol incorporates principles from the eight digital technologies recommended by NICE for NHS use, including Asthmahub, AsthmaTuner, Luscii, myAsthma, and the Respiratory Disease Management Platform . These technologies have demonstrated:

Improved asthma control scores

Reduced hospital visits

More effective medication use

High patient satisfaction and improved confidence in self-management

Early evidence suggests these tools can help reduce health inequalities by offering personalized support in accessible formats, particularly important given that individuals from deprived areas are three times more likely to have asthma and experience worse outcomes .

Pediatric Asthma Management

Recognizing that asthma in children differs fundamentally from adult disease, the protocol incorporates child-specific guidelines from BMJ Best Practice and the 2026 Chinese bronchial asthma guidelines :

Diagnosis in Young Children: For children under 6 years, diagnosis relies on clinical features (repeated wheezing episodes, response to treatment, personal/family history of atopy) rather than spirometry, which is difficult to perform in this age group .

Age-Appropriate Inhaler Devices:

0-3 years: Pressurized metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) with spacer and face mask

4-5 years: pMDI with mouth-held spacer

6+ years: Dry powder inhaler or pMDI with spacer as appropriate

Assessment Tools: Age-validated instruments including the Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) for children 4-11 years and the TRACK questionnaire for children under 5 years enable accurate monitoring of disease control .

Integration Within GoTo Telemed's Comprehensive Ecosystem

The Asthma Management Protocol operates as a fully integrated component of GoTo Telemed's unified telehealth platform:

Unified Health Record: All spirometry data, symptom logs, inhaler adherence information, and consultation documentation are incorporated into the patient's lifetime electronic health record, accessible to all authorized providers across medical and specialty care.

Seamless Care Coordination: When patients require biologic therapy or have complex severe asthma, the platform facilitates warm handoffs to pulmonologists and allergists within GoTo Telemed's integrated network.

Remote Monitoring Dashboard: Clinicians access a centralized dashboard displaying real-time data from connected devices, with automated alerts for patients requiring attention. Data is available in patients' medical records, enabling informed virtual consultations .

Patient Portal and Mobile Access: Patients access their digital asthma action plan, educational resources, symptom diaries, and secure messaging through GoTo Telemed's patient portal and mobile application.

Integration with Schools and Workplaces: With appropriate consent, the program can coordinate with school nurses and occupational health providers to ensure asthma action plans are implemented across all settings where patients spend time.

Addressing Critical Gaps in Asthma Care

The Asthma Management Protocol directly confronts persistent challenges in respiratory care:

Underuse of Anti-Inflammatory Therapy: Despite GINA recommendations, many patients still rely on SABA alone, increasing their risk of exacerbations and death. The protocol ensures every patient receives ICS-containing therapy as the foundation of care .

Poor Adherence and Technique: Studies show many patients struggle with correct inhaler technique and medication adherence. Connected inhaler sensors provide objective monitoring and enable targeted coaching .

Delayed Recognition of Deterioration: By the time patients recognize worsening symptoms, exacerbations may require emergency care. Continuous remote monitoring enables early intervention .

Geographic Access Disparities: Pulmonologists and allergists are concentrated in urban areas. Telehealth eliminates geographic barriers, connecting patients in rural and underserved communities with specialist expertise.

Pediatric Diagnostic Challenges: Asthma in young children is often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed. The protocol's child-specific algorithms ensure accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment from the earliest ages .

Health Inequalities: Individuals from deprived areas face higher asthma prevalence and worse outcomes. Digital tools with personalized support can help address these disparities .

A Transformative Opportunity for Respiratory Specialists

For pulmonologists, allergists, and respiratory nurses, GoTo Telemed's Asthma Management Protocol offers a meaningful practice opportunity:

Focus on High-Impact Work: Providers apply their expertise to a condition where evidence-based management prevents deaths, reduces hospitalizations, and dramatically improves quality of life.

Flexible Practice Model: Clinicians maintain complete autonomy over their schedules, practicing as little or as much as desired while serving a nationwide population of patients with asthma.

Complete Practice Support: GoTo Telemed provides full malpractice insurance coverage, comprehensive billing and coding support for pulmonary services (including remote patient monitoring codes), and immediate access to a growing population of patients seeking asthma expertise.

Professional Independence: Providers build their practice within GoTo Telemed's supportive ecosystem while maintaining clinical autonomy and professional decision-making authority.

No Administrative Burden: The platform handles all credentialing, scheduling, billing, and documentation, allowing clinicians to focus entirely on clinical care.

Regulatory Compliance and Quality Assurance

The Asthma Management Protocol operates within GoTo Telemed's rigorous compliance framework, aligned with professional guidelines from GINA, the American College of Chest Physicians, and NICE :

State-Specific Licensure Management: Verification of active, unrestricted licenses in all states where care is delivered, with support for interstate licensure compacts

Evidence-Based Practice Standards: Adherence to current GINA 2026 recommendations and ACCP severe asthma guidelines

Remote Monitoring Compliance: Rigorous adherence to coding and documentation requirements for remote patient monitoring services

Device Integration Standards: Secure, HIPAA-compliant integration with FDA-cleared connected devices

Quality Monitoring: Ongoing peer review, competency assessments, and patient outcome tracking ensuring maintenance of highest care standards

Availability and Partnerships

GoTo Telemed's Asthma Management Protocol is available immediately to patients nationwide through the GoTo Telemed platform and mobile application. Patients may enroll directly or be referred by their primary care provider, pulmonologist, or other health professional.

Pulmonologists, allergists, and respiratory specialists interested in joining GoTo Telemed's provider network are invited to apply through the company's credentialing portal.

GoTo Telemed is actively forming strategic partnerships with:

Pulmonology and allergy practices

Pediatric respiratory centers and children's hospitals

Primary care networks managing asthma across large populations

Health plans and Medicare Advantage organizations

School districts and occupational health programs

Asthma research and clinical trial centers

Device manufacturers and digital health innovators

Media Contact:
GoTo Telemed Media Relations
[email protected]
(660) 628-1660
www.gototelemed.com