Biomedical subjects
M B Joyner
Publications and source records attributed to M B Joyner.
Evaluation of a decentralized system for chronic disease care: seven years of observation.
Observations of a publicly-financed system for the medical care of a large number of persons with chronic diseases have been made over seven years. The system combines decentralized, nurse-staffed neighborhood clinics, operated by a public health department, with a central referral clinic for consultations and the management of complicated problems. After seven years in the chronic disease program 55% of 1,004 patients with diagnoses of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cardiac diseases were still receiving care, 19% had died, and 26% had been lost to the program. In the seventh year, the mean diastolic blood pressure in hypertensives was 84 mm Hg and the mean serum glucose in diabetics was 203 mg/dl. For the group under care, hospital days/1000/year were 74% of the rate during the year before referral to the program and out-patient visits/1000/year were approximately the same as before referral. However, two-thirds of the visits, formerly made to a public hospital, were now being made to neighborhood clinics. The system appears to be an effective method of providing medical services for persons who formerly used the public hospital as their source of outpatient care.
The Memphis diabetes continuing care program.
Since 1963 a network of nurse-operated, physician-backed decentralized clinics has provided continuing care for more than 5000 diabetic patients referred from the medical center clinics. Protocols that provide therapy goals and management details are used by the nurses and nutritionists in this network. To reduce fragmentation of care, intercurrent illnesses as well as other chronic diseases are treated using protocols in these clinics or in the home. This study examines certain outcome data in a subset of 556 diabetic patients under continuing care over a 7-yr period in this network, with comparisons being made to care before referral. Blood glucose is maintained at comparable levels in both decentralized and hospital clinics. Blood pressure levels in hypertensive patients are maintained in a satisfactory range. Total hospitalization rates are reduced by 47%. For ketoacidosis and amputation, hospitalization is decreased by 69% compared with the experience before referral. The maintenance care costs are decreased substantially compared with costs before referral due to the less expensive ambulatory services and the reduced need for hospitalization. The data support the concept that decentralization is an effective means of providing continuing care to patients with diabetes mellitus.