Influence of continuity of care on self-management ability and quality of life in outpatient maintenance hemodialysis patients.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of continuity of care on self-management ability and quality of life (QOL) in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).

Methods: One hundred patients were randomly assigned to the observation group and the control group. In the observation group, patients received a 12-month continuity of care. In the control group, patients were given with routine nursing. Evaluate the patients' self-management ability and QOL between two groups 1 week before discharge and 6 and 12 months outpatient MHD.

Results: Observation group had higher Hemodialysis Self-Management Instrument (HD-SMI) scores and Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form (KDQOL-SF™) scores than control group at 6 and 12 months outpatient MHD. But patients in observation group had a much lower systolic blood pressure than those in control group at 12 months outpatient MHD.

Conclusions: Our study suggested that continuity of care in the form of online education, telephone visit, and outpatient visit could improve self-management ability and QOL of patients undergoing MHD.