Worldwide, the numbers of people living with chronic conditions are rapidly on the rise. Chronic illnesses are enduring and often cannot be cured, requiring a strategy for long term management and intervention to prevent further exacerbation. Globally, there has been an increase in interventions using telecommunications technologies to aid patients in their home setting to manage chronic illnesses. Such interventions have often been delivered by nurses. The purpose of this research was to assess whether a particular intervention that had been successfully implemented in the United Kingdom could also be implemented in Canterbury. In particular, this research assessed the perspectives of Canterbury based practice nurses and district nurses. The findings suggest that a majority of both district and practice nurses did not view the service as compatible with their current work situation. Existing workload and concerns over funding of the proposed service were identified as potential barriers. However, the service was perceived as potentially beneficial for some, with the elderly based in rural areas, or patients with chronic mental health needs identified as more likely to benefit than others. Practice nurses expressed strong views on who should deliver such services. Given that it was identified that practice nurses already have in-depth knowledge of their patients’ health, while valuing the strong relationships established with their communities, it was suggested that patients would most benefit from locally based nurses to deliver any community based health services in the future. It was also found that teletriaging is currently widely used by practice nurses across Canterbury to meet a range of health needs, including chronic mental health needs. This suggests that the scope of teletriaging in community health and its potential and full implications are currently not well understood in New Zealand. Significant events, such as the Christchurch earthquakes indicate the potential role of teletriaging in addressing mental health issues, thereby reducing the chronic health burden in the community.

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The management and treatment of chronic diseases, such as end-stage renal disease, is often unproductive because of patients' poor adherence to treatment. The chronic care model toolkit is an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality supported framework, associated with improved outcomes in patients living with chronic disease. The purpose of this project was to develop and plan an educational program using the chronic care model toolkit for the interdisciplinary clinical staff of a renal hemodialysis center. The goal of this project was to adapt team building between patients and their clinicians through the use of the chronic care model in order to improve patients' adherence to treatment. The educational program materials were developed, including a plan for future implementation over 6 weeks in 2-hour twice-weekly sessions. Program planning accounted for the mixed roles and responsibilities of the interdisciplinary clinical team members, who will share their knowledge among the team and act as patient advisors. The pretest and posttest materials were developed from the toolkit Team Health Audit Questionnaire, which can be used to evaluate staff learning after the program is delivered. Existing clinical metrics are tracked through a Quality Assessment Performance Improvement measure, which will be used to evaluate potential long term influences of the program on patient adherence and outcomes. The project may contribute to social change in practice by enhancing teamwork that has the potential to improve clinical outcomes. Future research should include longitudinal studies on team building using the chronic care model toolkit to determine if its adaption enhances team effort and contributes to a collaborative workforce that improves clinical outcomes.

Bakgrund: I den systematiska litteratur studien Mat vid diabetes (SBU 2010) framgår det att lågkolhydratkost har likartade metabola effekter hos personer med diabetes i jämförelse med en traditionell lågfettskost. Trotts dessa råd visar en undersökning ifrån samma studie att endast 18 % av de tillfrågade sjuksköterskorna kliniskt tillämpade denna typ av kostintervention. Detta tycks vara problematiskt vilket nyligen uttryckts i en rad olika mediala sammanhang. Utöver denna debatt har vi idag också en epidemiskt stor utbredning av patienter med typ 2 diabetes mellitus vilket ställer krav på de allt mer begränsade resurser som finns inom vård och omsorg.  Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva lågkolhydratkostens metabola påverkan hos patienter med Diabetes Mellitus typ 2. Metod: Den elektroniska sökningen av artiklar utfördes i PubMed, CINAHL, Academic Search Elite, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO (2009-2014) samt PMC (2011-2014). 13 artiklar bedömdes utifrån studiedesign, metabola markörer, intervention/kontrollgrupp, inklusions och exklusionskriterer vara lämpliga för studien. Resultat: En övergripande majoritet studierna visade på att lågkolhydratkosten gav signifikant förbättrade metabola markörer och framförallt gällande HbA1c och HDL-kolesterol. Endast en studie visade på ett negativt icke-signifikant resultat. Konklusion: Lågkolhydratkost förefaller utifrån studiens syfte och resultat som ett fullgott alternativ till den traditionella diabeteskost som utgör stora delar av den kostbehandling som patienter med T2DM får idag. Men kan innebära ett stort ansvar i det arbetsätt som sjuksköterskan tillämpar för att stödja och hjälpa en patient med T2DM att nå en god egenvård, hälsa och metabolkontroll  Nyckelord: Typ 2 diabetes mellitus. Lågkolhydratkost. Traditionell diabeteskost. Chronic Care Model. Egenvård. Empowerment. / Background: The systematic literature review Mat vid diabetes (SBU 2010) indicates that a low carbohydrate diet possesses similar metabolic effects in people with diabetes compared to a traditional low-fat diet. Contrary to this advice, a review from the same study portrayed that only 18% of the surveyed nurses clinically applied this type of diet intervention. This seems to be problematic, as was recently expressed in a variety of media. In addition to this debate, health care now also face a widespread epidemic of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus which in turn puts the increasingly diminished and limited resources in health care under additional pressure.  Aim: The aim of this study was to describe a low-carbohydrate diet and its metabolic effects in patients with Diabetes Mellitus type 2. Method: Included articles in this review was found by searching PubMed, CINAHL, Academic Search Elite, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO (2009-2014) and PMC (2011-2014). 13 articles were assessed to be eligible for this review by assessing study-design, metabolic markers, intervention / control group, inclusion and exclusions criteria.  Results: An overall majority of studies proved that a low carbohydrate diet could result in significantly improved metabolic markers, and in particular the HbA1c and HDL cholesterol. Only one study showed a negative non-significant result. Conclusion: A low-carbohydrate diet seems based on our findings as a viable alternative to the traditional diabetic diet which constitute a large part of the diet treatment that patients with T2DM receives from current healthcare. But this in turn implies that a greater responsibility is taken by the nurse in order to support and help a patient with T2DM to achieve a good self-care, health and metabolic control. Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Low carbohydrate diets. Traditional diabetic diet. Chronic Care Model. Self-care. Empowerment.

Managing chronic conditions is seen as the public health challenge of the 21st century. The number of Americans with chronic conditions is expected to rise to 157 million by 2020. Diabetes prevalence and costs contribute to the growing problem. Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in 2006. Nationally, the cost of diabetes is expected to be $138 billion in 2020. Diabetes leads to multiple and significant complications. The desired outcomes of management of chronic conditions are improvement in clinical status, avoidance of complications, prevention of co-morbid conditions and avoidance of the costs associated with complications. In the 1990s, disease management programs were implemented in an attempt to effectively manage chronic conditions. The primary approach in these programs focuses on individual-level interventions. Despite these efforts, poor outcomes exist. As a result, other approaches to diabetes management are being explored. This study examines a system-level approach to diabetes management versus an individual level one. The system level approach is based on full implementation of the Chronic Care Model, framed in Social Ecology Theory. This retrospective, non-experimental study explores changes in adherence to select diabetes screening guidelines based on the approach to adopted by two health plans. Analyses were conducted on adherence to LDL, A1c, retinopathy and nephropathy screening 2 ½ years after program implementation. In addition, logistic regression analyses were conducted on the predictive impact of approach to chronic care management in relation to changes in adherence. Other variables known to impact health behaviors were factored into the analysis. There were two main findings of the study. The first is that for each of the screenings, there was a statistically significant difference between participants in the two plans. Comparisons of changes in adherence by approach from before implementation to after implementation resulted in a small number of subjects in some cells which can lead to accepting the null hypothesis when it is false. The second is that approach to management was associated with changes in adherence to three of the four screenings. The logistic models, however, account for less than 23% of the variance in adherence, a moderate effect size.

This study explored how being enrolled in a program that both coordinates patient care and provides a medical home changes health care utilization for uninsured patients, more specifically those persons with chronic conditions, through the use of the Chronic Care Model and Andersen and Aday’s Behavioral Model for Access to Health Care. Uninsured patients typically seek out care in a fragmented manner, which may lead to ineffective and inefficient care, especially for conditions that may require ongoing treatment and monitoring such as chronic conditions. The methodology used to examine the relationship between the interaction of enrollment and chronic condition status and health care utilization was multivariate linear regression. The results of this study show that enrollment in a coordinated care program does have an impact on health care utilization, and that the impact differs for patients with no chronic conditions, a single chronic condition, and multiple chronic conditions. These results point to the effectiveness of implementing the Chronic Care Model to improve access to health care for patients with chronic conditions.

The rate of obesity continues to rise in the United States and globally, placing populations at increased risk of obesity related conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and other disease states. Literature review shows that there have been many different methods utilized to halt obesity's progression, however rates continue to increase. The United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), American Heart Association (AHA), and other agencies recommend obesity screening and counseling at every patient encounter, but most hospitals do not have a current obesity policy in place to accomplish this task. The purpose of this project is to develop a program proposal for a hospital-based, obesity tool based on the 5 A's framework to increase screening and referrals of obese, adult patients ages 18 and over. The logic model was utilized to guide the program development, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination. The program was accepted by the hospitalist group and nurse leaders for full development and evaluation. Key stakeholders and content experts were convened to create a proposal and algorithm to guide the project. The obesity program will increase screenings and referrals upon full adoption. Increase in screenings and referrals will improve care, quality of life, weight status, and decrease health care expenditure. The results of dissemination of the program may stimulate other facilities to adopt the program to combat obesity and contribute to social change The rate of obesity continues to rise in the United States and globally, placing populations at increased risk of obesity related conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and other disease states. Literature review shows that there have been many different methods utilized to halt obesity's progression, however rates continue to increase. The United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), American Heart Association (AHA), and other agencies recommend obesity screening and counseling at every patient encounter, but most hospitals do not have a current obesity policy in place to accomplish this task. The purpose of this project is to develop a program proposal for a hospital-based, obesity tool based on the 5 A's framework to increase screening and referrals of obese, adult patients ages 18 and over. The logic model was utilized to guide the program development, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination. The program was accepted by the hospitalist group and nurse leaders for full development and evaluation. Key stakeholders and content experts were convened to create a proposal and algorithm to guide the project. The obesity program will increase screenings and referrals upon full adoption. Increase in screenings and referrals will improve care, quality of life, weight status, and decrease health care expenditure. The results of dissemination of the program may stimulate other facilities to adopt the program to combat obesity and contribute to social change The rate of obesity continues to rise in the United States and globally, placing populations at increased risk of obesity-related conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and other disease states. A review of the literature showed that multiple methods have been used to address the rate of progression; however, obesity rates continue to increase. The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force, American Heart Association, and other agencies recommend obesity screening and counseling at every patient encounter; most hospitals do not have a policy to accomplish this task. The purpose of this project was to develop an obesity screening and referral tool for the hospital setting. The resulting tool was based on the 5 As framework to increase screening and referrals of obese patients. The logic model was used to guide program development, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination. Results of the obesity screening and referral program showed an increase in screenings and referrals upon a trial adoption, raising the number of identified referrals to 23, compared to 2 patients identified for referral prior to program implementation (p = 0.035). An increase in screenings and referrals can bring about positive change by improving care, quality of life, and weight status of patients and decreasing health care expenditure.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a highly prevalent chronic disease that affects 29 million people in the United States including over 2 million veterans who receive care through the Veterans Administration. Patient-aligned care teams (PACTs) are an interprofessional teamwork system designed to improve outcomes of chronic illness, but empirical explorations of the efficacy of the PACTs have been insufficient. Utilizing the chronic care model, the purpose of this retrospective study was to determine if PACTs have been efficient in the diabetic management of veterans receiving care through a Southeastern VA. Medical records for 114 veterans with type 2 DM were randomly selected. A 1-way ANOVA was used to analyze outcomes for 5 evidence-based standards (SBP, DBP, BGL, A1C, & LDL) among 6 outpatient clinics. A repeated measures ANOVA was used for the same 5 evidence-based standards for the clinics to assess if there were any changes from FY2014 to FY2016. Results revealed that blood pressure readings and LDL levels met evidence-based standards, while A1C and BGL levels did not. No significant differences over the 3-year period were noted nor were there significant differences in patterns of performance between the clinics. The findings provide an essential basis for initiating a discussion on the potential of PACTs for the delivery of quality healthcare to U.S. veterans with diabetes and other chronic diseases. Positive social change can result from improving the delivery of healthcare using the PACT model to decrease morbidity, improve clinical outcomes, and increase the quality of life of U.S. veterans with type 2 DM. Future research that examines perceptions of clinical team members, team stability, and the delivery of shared care is warranted.

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Thesis (M. Pharm. (Pharmacology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Introduction: Zebediela Hospital in Limpopo Province is running an outreach programme as part of its chronic care initiative. In the programme, pharmacy personnel visit the feeder clinics attached to the hospital to dispense chronic medicines to patients. This study aimed at evaluating how this pharmacy chronic care outreach programme is performing, by looking at pharmacy personnel, nursing personnel and patients’ perceptions. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the six feeder clinics attached to Zebediela Hospital in the Lepelle-Nkumpi municipality of the Capricorn district in Limpopo Province using a quantitative research method. This quantitative research was administered in the form of a survey. Questionnaires were used to collect data from patients, nursing personnel and pharmacy personnel. A total of 399 participants (n=399) took part in the study. The participants included 337 patients from six different clinics, 18 pharmacy personnel and 44 nursing personnel. Data was analysed using the SPSS version 25.0. Results: The pharmacy personnel showed that an allocation of more than three personnel per duty roster sufficed. Regarding transport used by pharmacy personnel when embarking on the Pharmacy Chronic Care Outreach Programme, 71.4% of pharmacy personnel indicated that they always used hospital transport in 83.3% of the cases. The study findings showed that, 71% of patients agreed they were satisfied with the pharmacy times for collecting medicines apart from the fact that 65.6% of patients travelled for more than two hours from their respective homes to their nearest clinic. Sixty eight percent of pharmacy personnel perceived the PCCOP model to be reducing patient waiting time at the clinics. Both the patients and nursing personnel were however not satisfied with the pharmacy personnel’s arrival time at the clinic. The other negative aspect reported was the space problem at the clinics where, 77.8% of pharmacy personnel and 54.5% of nursing personnel reported this as not user-friendly. The patients’ satisfaction levels regarding the PCCOP model for “very satisfied” stood at 64.2% and 0.6% for “very dissatisfied”. Both pharmacy and nursing personnel recommended that the PCCOP model be continued with recommendations towards improving human resources and infrastructure. Conclusion: In conclusion, both pharmacy personnel and nursing personnel showed that the outreach programme was a good initiative in the health system and it benefitted patients. However, the concerns mentioned by patients included long waiting times at the clinic and medicine stock outs. As the results show, the pharmacy chronic care outreach programme should be continued, as long as patients’ complaints can be attended to. Key words: Evaluation, Pharmacy Chronic care Outreach Programme, Zebediela