The Post–COVID-19 Case for Primary Care

Much has been written and discussed about challenges faced by the US health care system, with most of it justifiably concerning the payment system for medical services, and how that leaves an unconscionably large proportion of US residents uninsured or underinsured for quality care. Although payment systems are undoubtedly a challenge and merit substantial conversation, the structure of US health care delivery also leaves much to be desired.

Central to that problem is the paucity of primary care physicians in the US. The approximately 200 000 active primary care physicians in the US represent about 30% of all active ...

Social workers in integrated care beyond primary care: a scoping review

Social workers are key members of integrated care (IC) teams, yet there is limited research on the presence and roles of social workers on IC teams. Research literature from 2014 to 2021 was identified using the following search engines: Academic Search Complete, PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus, SocINDEX and MEDLINE. An exploratory search was conducted in January 2021 and an updated search was conducted in August 2021. This search resulted in 802 references, 50 of which met criteria for full-text review. Nine articles were identified through supplemental searching. 20 articles were included in the final review. Of the 20 studies included, most ...

Can We Deliver Person-Centred Obesity Care Across the Globe?

This article discusses what person-centred care is; why it is critically important in providing effective care of a chronic, complex disease like obesity; and what can be learnt from international best practice to inform global implementation.

The road to patient-centred care in Peru: The difficulties and opportunities to achieve participatory health care

Patient-centred care (PCC) is a pillar of quality health services, where decision-making power is shared between the clinician and the patient. Although, this approach could be adopted with easiness in high income settings or in countries with unified health systems, in settings such as Peru, where universal access and other structural problems remain a challenge, the practice of PCC is not a priority. In Peru, research on PCC has been conducted for almost two decades, but this has not generated a need for development in academia, decision makers, health personal or patients. 

Exploring Intra and Interorganizational Integration Efforts Involving the Primary Care Sector – A Case Study from Ontario

he primary care sector is uniquely positioned to lead the coordination of providers and organizations across health and social care sectors. This study explores whether intraorganizational (professional) integration within a primary care team might be related to interorganizational integration between primary care and other community partners involved in caring for complex patients.

Informing the implementation and use of person-centred quality indicators: a mixed methods study on the readiness, barriers and facilitators to implementation in Canada

Person-centred care (PCC) is a key component of high-quality healthcare, which actively engages patients and their caregivers in care decisions and considers patient needs, preferences and values. A focus on ‘person-centredness’ as opposed to ‘patient-centredness’ promotes a more holistic perspective on care, which is not limited to a person’s disease or illness, but also acknowledges the factors that influence a person’s well-being.PCC is a model of care that remains aspirational for many healthcare jurisdictions and sectors of care. However, in practice it has been challenging to implement as it requires changes in healthcare structures and processes.

Dimensions of Proximity: An Actionable Framework to Better Understand Integrated Practices in Cancer Networks

This study empirically explores how dimensions of proximity that support integrated care emerge from deliberate actions within a cancer network in Quebec (Canada).

Transforming Primary Care in New York Through Patient-Centered Medical Homes: Findings From Qualitative Research

he patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model, an important component of healthcare transformation in the United States, is an approach to primary care delivery with the goal of improving population health and the patient care experience while reducing costs. PCMH research most often focuses on system level indicators including healthcare use and cost; descriptions of patient and provider experience with PCMH are relatively sparse and commonly limited in scope. This study, part of a mixed-methods evaluation of a multi-year New York State initiative to refine and expand the PCMH model, describes patient and provider experience with New York State PCMH and ...

Development and Implementation of an Integrated Care Fellowship

Integrated care is a common approach to leverage scarce psychiatric resources to deliver mental health care in primary care settings. The Integrated Care clinical fellowship serves as a model for training programs seeking to provide training in clinical and systems-based skills needed for practicing integrated care. Whether such training is undertaken as a standalone fellowship or incorporated into existing consultation-liaison psychiatry programs, such skills are increasingly valuable as integrated care becomes commonplace in practice.  

Examining telehealth use among primary care patients, providers, and clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic

At the onset of COVID-19, there was a rapid expansion of telehealth (video/telephone) visits to maintain delivery of primary care (PC) services at the Veterans Health Administration (VA). This study examines patient, provider, and site-level characteristics of any virtual and video-based care in PC.