Diabetes Control in the Community, Under the Management of a Diabetes-Clinic Nurse Specialist, and the Effect of a Parallel Diabetologist Advice

INTRODUCTION: Nurses play a key role in managing care and educating people with diabetes in various healthcare systems worldwide, while physicians play this role in others. In addition, some healthcare systems authorize specialist nurses to change patient dose regimens. Therefore, we examined diabetes outcomes in the community by the management of a diabetes-clinic nurse only versus parallel management with a diabetologist. METHODS: Retrospective data were collected for 100 consecutive people with diabetes registered in a community clinic with a diabetes-clinic nurse specialist as a case manager from 1/2018. About half of the patients selected received parallel advice from a diabetologist. Inclusion criteria included poor control of type 2 diabetes (HbA1c above 9%). Patients using an insulin pump, glucose sensor technologies, or multiple injection insulin programs were excluded. RESULTS: One hundred people with diabetes who met the study criteria were included in the study, 64 males and a mean age of 60.03 ± 11.11. In a follow-up of 161.31 ± 68.65 days, HbA1c levels decreased by 3.17% ± 1.95% and did not change in a further follow-up of 162.36 ± 72.75 days. Significant improvement was also observed in controlling the other risk factors examined. Parallel consultation with a diabetologist and the nurse’s use of her authority for dose modifications showed no differences in all parameters. Logistic regression for analyzing the effect of the variables related to the patient showed only a moderate effect. CONCLUSIONS: Access to professional services remains a significant challenge for healthcare systems in long-term diabetes control. Monitoring poorly controlled people with diabetes with the help of a diabetes-clinic nurse specialist in the community clinic significantly improved diabetes and risk factors control and persisted long after the intervention. Healthcare systems should consider expanding the service of the diabetes-clinic nurse specialist in the community. Further studies will be required to examine the results in different patient subgroups.