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Evidence to Improve Care

Asthma in Children and Adolescents

Care in the Community for People Under 16 Years of Age



We thank the following individuals for their generous, voluntary contributions of time and expertise to help create this quality standard:


Samir Gupta (co-chair)
Adult Respirologist, St. Michael’s Hospital
Assistant Professor, University of Toronto
Adjunct Scientist, Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital


Dhenuka Radhakrishnan (co-chair)
Pediatric Respirologist and Clinical Investigator, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario; Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa
Adjunct Scientist, ICES


Janice Belanger
Certified Respiratory Educator, Group Health Centre


Madonna Ferrone
Coordinator, Project Manager, Certified Respiratory Educator,
Asthma Research Group Inc. and Hôtel Dieu Grace Hospital


Andrea S. Gershon
Senior Scientist, Sunnybrook Research Institute and ICES
Associate Professor, University of Toronto
Respirologist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre


Carmela Graziani
Lived Experience Advisor


Samim Hasham
Director, Professional Services, Urbancare Toronto
Consultant, Canadian Mental Health Association Peel, Rapid Access Addition Clinics
Faculty, Adler College Toronto
Pharmacist, Morrish Pharmacy


Julie Hunter
Nurse Practitioner, Lady Dunn Health Centre


Alan Kaplan
Family Physician
Chair, Family Physician Airways Group of Canada
Clinical Lecturer, University of Toronto


M. Diane Lougheed (Canadian Thoracic Society representative)
Professor of Medicine, Public Health Sciences, and Biomedical and Molecular Sciences,
Chair of Division of Respirology, Queen’s University
Senior Adjunct Scientist, ICES


Kate Mulligan
Lived Experience Advisor
Director, Policy & Communications, Alliance for Healthier Communities


Zoe Nugent
Staff Physician/Pediatric Respirologist, Peterborough Regional Health Centre, The Peterborough Clinic


Delanya Podgers
Nurse Practitioner–Asthma and COPD, Kingston Health Sciences Centre 


Jessica Schooley
Primary Care Asthma Program Site Coordinator & Certified Respiratory Educator, Pediatric Asthma Clinic, Kingston Health Sciences Centre


Ryan Smith
Staff Paediatrician, Medical Director, Paediatric Asthma Clinic, Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital


Christina Sperling
Director, Respiratory Health Program, The Lung Association–Ontario


Itamar Tamari
Family Physician, Stonegate Community Health Centre
Medical Director, Primary Care Asthma Program


Teresa To
Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Senior Scientist, The Hospital for Sick Children
Director, Ontario Asthma Surveillance Information System


Christine Truong
Clinical Pharmacist, Certified Respiratory Educator, North York Family Health Team


Angelina Wiwczor
Nurse Practitioner, Certified Asthma Educator, Health Sciences North – NEO Kids, Kids Care Centre


Calvin Young
Lived Experience Advisor



The Canadian Thoracic Society endorses the Ontario Health quality standard Asthma: Care in the Community for People Under 16 Years of Age.

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For more information, contact QualityStandards@HQOntario.ca.

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