The study’s purpose was to compare outcomes of care among patients, with type-2
diabetes, who were receiving care via three primary care practice models: a nurse practitionerphysician
full-time model (NP-MDf); a nurse practitioner-physician part-time model (NP-MDp);
and, an NP without a physician model (NP). Outcomes of diabetes care included glycemic
control, self-care ability, satisfaction with care, and quality of life. Six primary care settings, in
a province in central Thailand, were used as study sites, with each model implemented in two
of the settings. A convenience sample of 300 participants, with type-2 diabetes,who were receiving
care at the selected study sites, was recruited (100 for each model). Data were collected via
the; Demographic Information Questionnaire (DIQ); Diabetic Self-Care Ability Questionnaire
(DSCAQ); Patient’s Satisfaction with Care Questionnaire (PSCQ); and, Diabetes Quality of Life
Questionnaire (DQOLQ). Descriptive statistics and MANOVA, with Tukey’s HSD, were used to
analyzethe data.
Results indicated no significant difference, in the mean score of the fasting blood glucose
level, was found among the subjects who received care via the three models. The mean scores
of the DSCAA and DQOL of participants, receiving care via the NP-MDf and NP models,
were significantly higher than those receiving care via the NP-MDp model. In addition, the
mean scores of the PSA of participants, receiving care via the NP and the NP-MDp models,
were significantly higher than those receiving care via the NP-MDf model.
The findings suggested that NP model can, provide care to individuals with type-2 diabetes
of the same quality as NP-MDF and NP-MDP model. In addition, the results revealed the NP model
was likely to achieve better psycho-social-behavioral outcomes than the NP-MDf and NP-MDp
models.