Wildfires and the smoke they produce are becoming a more common part of Washington summers. Along with polluted skies, the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that settles in our region is a growing public health concern and risk factor for respiratory complications, especially for those with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
During Washington’s 2025 wildfire season, UW Medicine combined Epic electronic health records with neighborhood-level air pollution data to identify more than 64,000 adults with asthma or COPD living in areas with elevated levels of fine particulate matter. This type of air pollution, commonly produced by wildfires, is linked to serious respiratory complications.
Using Epic Campaigns, UW Medicine reached these patients through email, text messages and the patient portal with practical guidance on reducing smoke exposure before symptoms became severe.
The messages included information on how to visit an educational website with actionable tips to reduce smoke exposure, guidance on when to seek care and a direct link to schedule telehealth appointments if symptoms worsened. Patients responded strongly, with nearly 14% engaging with the outreach and 7% scheduling telehealth visits. No patients chose to opt out of the program.
Building on the program’s success, UW Medicine launched an enhanced second year of patient air quality education in July 2026, including improved website tracking to better understand patient engagement and continue refining future outreach.
This digital health intervention was funded by the Dillon Family Foundation. Please reach out to Dr. Trang VoPham at [email protected] for more information. (Taya Briley)