A new r
eport in the Annals of Internal Medicine finds that care for patients with chronic diseases throughs nurse-managed protocol results in better health care options.
The authors looked at 18 studies covering 23,000 patients who were treated for complex and chronic conditions through nurse-managed protocols. Six of these studies were randomly controlled trials.
The nurse managed patients had overall better health care outcomes compared to patients treated under a traditional care model. These patients had lower A1C readings, reduced both total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels, and reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Additionally, the patients treated under the nurse-managed protocols had better overall adherence to treatment plans, and were more likely to achieve their treatment goals of blood pressure and A1c levels.
This study is a fantastic overview of the benefits interprofessional collaboration can bring to patients, health care providers, and health care financing.
Managing chronic diseases places a large burden -- both financial and human -- on our health care system and society.
Looking forward, this type of interprofessional collaboration will be essential to addressing primary care shortages, particularly in rural and urban underserved communities.
There are several projects currently underway using this type of collaborative approach to chronic diease care. The most well-known is the Cherry Street Wellness Clinic in Grand Rapids.
There are other projects underway in Grand Rapids and Detroit in nurse-managed clinics as part of a Nursing Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention grant from HRSA.
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