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The cost‐effectiveness of substituting physicians with diabetes nurse specialists: a randomized controlled trial with 2‐year follow‐up
Author(s) -
Arts Elke E.A.,
LandeweCleuren Sabine A.N.T.,
Schaper Nicolaas C.,
Vrijhoef Hubertus J.M.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of advanced nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.948
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1365-2648
pISSN - 0309-2402
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2011.05797.x
Subject(s) - medicine , randomized controlled trial , psychological intervention , intervention (counseling) , quality of life (healthcare) , nursing , diabetes mellitus , cost effectiveness , family medicine , health care , clinical trial , risk analysis (engineering) , economic growth , economics , endocrinology
arts e.e.a., landewe‐cleuren s.a.n.t., schaper n.c. & vrijhoef h.j.m. (2012) The cost‐effectiveness of substituting physicians with diabetes nurse specialists: a randomized controlled trial with 2‐year follow‐up. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68 (6), 1224–1234. Abstract Aims. To evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of an intervention substituting physicians with nurse specialists. Background. Increasing populations of people with diabetes in most Western countries require creative solutions that give high‐quality chronic care while controlling costs. Instigating nurse specialists as a substitute for physicians yields positive results in this area. Research about such interventions in a hospital‐based setting is limited. Methods. This paper is a report of a study of a randomized, non‐blinded clinical trial including people with diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2. In the intervention group nurse specialists were the central carers, providing care that conformed to a preset protocol. Patients were included between 2004 and 2007. Costs, quality of life and adverse events were measured, cost‐effect ratios and incremental cost‐effect ratios were calculated based on health‐resource utilization rates, corresponding market prices and national tariffs from 2007. Results. Health related quality of life scores did not differ significantly between the control and the intervention group. In the intervention group, fewer patients were hospitalized and fewer side effects from drugs were reported compared to controls. Nurse specialists as central care givers generated a modest reduction in costs per quality adjusted life year gained compared to usual care. Conclusion. Nurse specialists give diabetes care that is similar to care provided by physicians in terms of quality of life and economic value. Instigating a nurse specialist as central carer yields opportunities to generate cost savings. Developing interventions which also focus on prevention of complications is recommended when aiming for long‐term organisational cost savings.