Evaluation of a Diabetes Disease Management Home Care Program

Abstract

Diabetes disease management home care programs provide education, promote self-care, and empower patients. Guided by Orem’s self-care deficit nursing theory, this program evaluation project examined outcomes of home care for patients with diabetes. Three groups of diabetes patients were studied. Group 1 (n = 50) and 2 (n = 51) participants received traditional diabetes home care. Group 3 (n = 65) participants received experimental diabetes disease management. Patient data were obtained from medical records, a computerized billing system, and the Outcomes Assessment Information Set (OASIS). No statistically significant group differences in outcomes were found. A clinically significant finding was that approximately 50% of patients in each group were discharged with glucose levels that did not meet American Diabetes Association criteria. The project extends application of OASIS to Orem’s theory and raises questions about outcomes included in program evaluations. Larger samples are required to determine the best approach for diabetes disease management in home care.