Nurse care manager collaboration with community-based physicians providing diabetes care: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the potential value of close collaboration at the office level of a nurse care manager with community-based primary care physicians in the care of adult patients with type 2 diabetes, particularly those physicians not affiliated with an integrated care system that some managed care organizations provide. METHODS: Patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited from the general population of a large metropolitan area. Each received a comprehensive evaluation of his or her diabetes with results reported to patients and their physicians (basic intervention). A random one-half of patients were additionally assigned to individual counseling, problem identification, care planning, and management recommendations by a nurse care manager (individualized intervention). The patients receiving only the basic intervention served as the control group to those receiving the individualized intervention. Re-evaluation of all patients at 6 months after their entry into the study determined the effectiveness of the nurse-directed individualized intervention using A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol as outcome measures. RESULTS: Of 220 patients recruited, 197 had type 2 diabetes, randomly assigned only the basic intervention (102 patients) or individualized intervention (95 patients). Postintervention data were obtained on 164 patients (83%). Significant improvement occurred in mean systolic blood pressure and A1C of all patients in the individualized but not the basic intervention only group. Patients with a systolic blood pressure>or=130 mm Hg at baseline showed improvement if they had more than 2 contacts with the study nurse but not if they had less than 2 contacts. CONCLUSIONS: A nurse care manager collaborating at the office level with community-based primary care physicians can enhance the care provided to adult patients with type 2 diabetes. For those many physicians not affiliated with an integrated care system featured by some managed care organizations, this collaboration could underlie a team approach (nurse/patient/physician) for the ambulatory patient with diabetes that would be an essential element in a chronic disease model of care for diabetes at the community level.

Personalized follow-up increases return rate at urban eye disease screening clinics for African Americans with diabetes: results of a randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of using personalized follow-up, as compared to reminder letters, in increasing return rates at urban eye disease screening clinics for African Americans with diabetes, and to identify factors predictive of the patient's likelihood of returning for annual follow-up exams. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: All patients attending free community-based retinopathy screening clinics who were advised to return in one year for another diabetes eye evaluation (DEE) were randomized to standard or personalized follow-up interventions. Patients in the standard follow-up group received reminder letters a month before it was time to return for their next annual DEE. Patients in the intensive personalized intervention also received the letters, but those patients who did not call for an appointment within 10 days received a phone call from project staff, encouraging them to return for a DEE. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-two African Americans with diabetes were randomized to one of the 2 treatments. The return rate for the intensive, personalized follow-up group was 66%, significantly (P=.001) higher than the 35% return rate for the standard follow-up group. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the efficacy of personal contact by telephone in improving return rates for annual DEEs in this population of patients. This finding is consistent with one of the key design principles of the project, which was to establish credible personal relationships with community leaders and patients as a means to maximize the utilization of the eye screening clinics.