Improving Patient Knowledge and Self-Confidence in Chronic Disease Management Through Team-Based Care

Abstract

Background and Significance. Chronic conditions are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States, leading to trillions of dollars spent annually on healthcare costs. When a patient is able to understand and manage their disease from home, it will reduce the risk of disease exacerbation, hospitalization, and complications related to their medical treatment, thus, in turn, reducing the financial strain on the healthcare system. Purpose and Objective. This Doctor of Nursing Practice project focused on evaluating the impact that team-based care can have on knowledge and self-confidence among adults with chronic diseases in the primary care setting. Theoretical Framework. The theoretical framework used is the Health Promotion Model. This theory is used to understand the significant determinates of health behaviors as a basis for behavioral health counseling to promote healthy lifestyles. Methods and Design. This was a quasi-experimental study that used a pre-posttest design. The participants were selected using a convenience sampling method. The participants were asked to complete several questionnaires including the Patient Demographics Questionnaire, the Hypertension or the Diabetes Questionnaire depending on their chronic condition, and the Self-Confidence in Disease Management Questionnaire. Results. Statistical significance was noted among the Team-Based Care Groups level of self-confidence in the post-test and the Standard Care Group was noted to have improve scores on the Hypertension Questionnaire. All other results were not statistically significant Conclusion. The implementation of team-based care can improve the self-confidence in chronic disease management among adults in primary care. The results could provide the foundation for the implementation of team-based care in the primary care setting.