Be Mindful of the Time

The following diagram illustrates the 5-state, absorbing Markov chain framework used to model the progression of patients through various health states as they undergo treatment for asthma. The states are defined as follows: STW = successfully treated week, UTW = unsuccessfully treated week, Hex = hospital-managed exacerbation, Pex = primary care-managed exacerbation, and TF = treatment failure.…