Primary Care Medical Home Experience and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Adult Medicaid Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Purpose: To examine whether patient-reported indicators of medical home performance are associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among adults with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Cross-sectional survey of 540 patients with Medicaid insurance and type 2 diabetes in Los Angeles County. The Primary Care Assessment Tool was used to measure seven features of medical home performance. The EuroQol EQ-5D-3L (EQ-5D) was used to measure HRQOL. Results: Higher total medical home performance was correlated with better overall HRQOL. A one-point change in total medical home score was associated with a 0.06-point higher score on the EQ-5D index [95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.01–0.11], which is a clinically meaningful difference. The total score was also significantly associated with a lower likelihood of problems on one domain of the EQ-5D (pain). Longitudinality was the only medical home feature associated with better general health status (ordered odds ratio = 1.78; 95 % CI: 1.04–3.03). The positive relationship of medical home with the EQ-5D appears to be present predominantly among women. Conclusion: Overall medical home experience is favorably associated with HRQOL among vulnerable adult patients with type 2 diabetes. Provider efforts to improve the overall medical home experience for patients may contribute to improvements in HRQOL.