Health Care and Epidemiology. Edited by W. Holland and L. Karhausen. (Pp. 268; illustrated; £5.50.) Henry Kimpton: London. 1978. - Evaluation: a Systematic Approach. By P. H. Ross, H. E. Freeman and S. R. Wright. (Pp. 336; illustrated; £9.50.) Sage Publications: London. 1979. - Research in General Practice. By J. G. R. Howie. (Pp. 193; illustrated; £11.95.) Croom Helm: London. 1979. - Evaluating Primary Care. by E. M. Clark and J. A. Forbes. (Pp. 234; illustrated; £10.95.) Croom Helm: London. 1979. - Organizational Structure and Care of the Mentally Retarded. by N. V. Raynes, M. W. Pratt and S. Roses. (Pp. 239; illustrated; £9.95.) Croom Helm: London. 1979.

1980 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 598-599
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Organizational Structure ◽  
Systematic Approach ◽  
Mentally Retarded

Community Health and General Practice: The Impact of Different Cultures on the Integration of Primary Care

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hal Swerissen ◽  
Jenny Macmillan ◽  
Catuscia Biuso ◽  
Linda Tilgner
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Community Health Centres ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Health Centres ◽  
The Relationship

This study examined the existing relationship between community health centres and General Practice Divisions in the State of Victoria, including the nature of joint working arrangements and the identification of barriers to greater collaboration. Improved integration of primary health care services has been advocated to improve consumer and population health outcomes and to reduce inappropriate use of acute and extended care services. General practitioners (GPs) and community health centres are two key providers of primary health care with potential for greater integration. The current study conducted telephone interviews with 20 community health centre CEOs and 18 Executive Officers of divisions, which were matched according to catchment boundaries. Results suggest, while some joint planning is occurring, especially on committees, working parties and projects, there is an overall low level of satisfaction with the relationship between community health centres and GPs and GP divisions. Major barriers to greater integration are the financial or business interests of GPs and misunderstanding and differences in perceived roles and ideology between GPs and community health centres. Improved communication, greater contact and referral and follow-up procedures are identified as a means of improving the relationship between GPs, GP divisions and community health centres. Community health centres and general practitioners (GPs) are key providers of primary care (Australian Community Health Association, 1990).

scholarly journals Access to rural general practice and primary care: Time now for more equitable and sustainable solutions?

2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 160
Author(s):  
Sam Heard
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Basic Service ◽  
Almost All

Australia has the resources to provide reasonable primary medical and health care to all of its population. It is a particularly worthwhile expense, with positive social and biophysical outcomes (Jarman et al., 1999; Starfield, 1998). In many aspects of health care, primary care provides most of the benefit and almost all of the value. Why, then, don?t we provide this basic service to all Australians?

scholarly journals Research and Survey on the Status of Hospital Graded Care System and its Related Industries

2021 ◽  
Vol 251 ◽  
pp. 01036
Author(s):  
Weijie Tang
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Health Care Reform ◽  
Treatment System ◽  
Medical Reform ◽  
Medical Institutions ◽  
The Status ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Medical Process

The graded treatment system refers to the gradation of diseases according to their priority and ease of treatment, with medical institutions at different levels undertaking the treatment of different diseases and gradually realizing the medical process from general practice to specialization. Since the “new medical reform”, China has been committed to promoting “primary care”, “two-way referral”, “separation of acute and slow treatment” The “new health care reform” has been implemented in China since the beginning of the reform. However, in the process of implementation, the effectiveness of the system has always been controversial due to the inadequate construction of primary medical institutions and the weak awareness of graded treatment among residents.

scholarly journals How to use interpreters in general practice: the development of a New Zealand toolkit

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben Gray ◽  
Jo Hilder ◽  
Maria Stubbe
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Limited English Proficiency ◽  
Ethical Behaviour ◽  
Patient Relations ◽  
Primary Care Practitioners ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Patient Resistance

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT: New Zealand is becoming more ethnically diverse, with more limited English proficiency (LEP) people. Consequently there are more primary care consultations where patients have insufficient English to communicate adequately. Because effective communication is essential for good care, interpreters are needed in such cases. ASSESSMENT OF PROBLEM: The literature on the use of interpreters in health care includes the benefits of using both trained interpreters (accuracy, confidentiality, ethical behaviour) and untrained interpreters (continuity, trust, patient resistance to interpreter). There is little research on the actual pattern of use of interpreters. RESULTS: Our research documented a low use of trained interpreters, despite knowledge of the risks of untrained interpreters and a significant use of untrained interpreters where clinicians felt that the communication was acceptable. A review of currently available guidelines and toolkits showed that most insist on always using a trained interpreter, without addressing the cost or availability. None were suitable for direct use in New Zealand general practice. STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT: We produced a toolkit consisting of flowcharts, scenarios and information boxes to guide New Zealand practices through the structure, processes and outcomes of their practice to improve communication with LEP patients. This paper describes this toolkit and the links to the evidence, and argues that every consultation with LEP patients requires clinical judgement as to the type of interpreting needed. LESSONS: Primary care practitioners need understanding about when trained interpreters are required. KEYWORDS: Communication barriers; primary health care; New Zealand; quality of health care; professional–patient relations; cultural competency

scholarly journals Stroke follow-up in primary care: a discourse study on the discharge summary as a tool for knowledge transfer and collaboration

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rune Aakvik Pedersen ◽  
Halfdan Petursson ◽  
Irene Hetlevik ◽  
Henriette Thune
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Discharge Summary ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Discharge Summaries

Abstract Background The acute treatment for stroke takes place in hospitals and in Norway follow-up of stroke survivors residing in the communities largely takes place in general practice. In order to provide continuous post stroke care, these two levels of care must collaborate, and information and knowledge must be transferred between them. The discharge summary, a written report from the hospital, is central to this communication. Norwegian national guidelines for treatment of stroke, issued in 2010, therefore give recommendations on the content of the discharge summaries. One ambition is to achieve collaboration and knowledge transfer, contributing to integration of the health care services. However, studies suggest that adherence to guidelines in general practice is weak, that collaboration within the health care services does not work the way the authorities intend, and that health care services are fragmented. This study aims to assess to what degree the discharge summaries adhere to the guideline recommendations on content and to what degree they are used as tools for knowledge transfer and collaboration between secondary and primary care. Methods The study was an analysis of 54 discharge summaries for home-dwelling stroke patients. The patients had been discharged from two Norwegian local hospitals in 2011 and 2012 and followed up in primary care. We examined whether content was according to guidelines’ recommendations and performed a descriptive and interpretative discourse analysis, using tools adapted from an established integrated approach to discourse analysis.  Results We found a varying degree of adherence to the different advice for the contents of the discharge summaries. One tendency was clear: topics relevant here and now, i.e. at the hospital, were included, while topics most relevant for the later follow-up in primary care were to a larger degree omitted. In most discharge summaries, we did not find anything indicating that the doctors at the hospital made themselves available for collaboration with primary care after dischargeof the patient. Conclusions The discharge summaries did not fulfill their potential to serve as tools for collaboration, knowledge transfer, and guideline implementation. Instead, they may contribute to sustain the gap between hospital medicine and general practice.

scholarly journals Access to general practice for Pacific peoples: a place for cultural competency

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Ludeke ◽  
Ronald Puni ◽  
Lynley Cook ◽  
Maria Pasene ◽  
Gillian Abel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Cultural Competency ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Service Utilisation ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Care Services

INTRODUCTION: Access to primary health care services has been identified as a problem for Pacific peoples. Although cost is the most frequently cited barrier to Pacific service utilisation, some research has indicated that access may also be influenced by features of mainstream primary care services. This study aimed to identify features of mainstream general practice services that act as barriers to accessing these services for Pacific peoples in order to explore strategies that providers could adopt to enable their practices to be more welcoming, accessible and appropriate for Pacific peoples. METHODS: Pacific participants were recruited through Pacific networks known to Pegasus Health and via ‘snowball’ sampling. In total, 20 participants participated in one of three focus groups. A semi-structured interview explored the participants’ views and experiences of mainstream general practice care. Thematic analysis was utilised to interpret the data. FINDINGS: The analysis revealed five themes highlighting non-financial features of mainstream general practice services that may influence the availability and acceptability of these services to Pacific peoples: language and communication; rushed consultations; appointment availability; reception; and Pacific presence. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that all personnel within the primary care setting have the ability to directly engage in the improvement of the health status of Pacific peoples in New Zealand by developing cultural competency and incorporating flexibility and diversity into the care and service they provide. KEYWORDS: Pacific health care; access to health care; inequalities; cultural competency; New Zealand

scholarly journals Stepped care mental health service in Australian primary care: codesign and feasibility study

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 873 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josephine Anderson ◽  
Kathleen O'Moore ◽  
Mariam Faraj ◽  
Judith Proudfoot
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Translational Research ◽  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Stepped Care ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Practice Staff

Objective In 2015, the Australian Government introduced several mental health reforms, including the requirement that Primary Health Networks (PHNs) provide stepped care services for Australians with mental health needs such as anxiety and depression. This paper reports on the development and feasibility study of StepCare, an online stepped mental healthcare service in general practice that screens patients, provides immediate feedback to patients and general practitioners (GPs), transmits stepped treatment recommendations to GPs and monitors patients’ progress, including notification of deterioration. Methods The present codesign and feasibility study in one PHN examined: (1) the acceptability and feasibility of StepCare to GPs, practice staff and patients; (2) the impact of StepCare on clinical practice; and (3) the barriers to and facilitators of implementation. Results Thirty-two GPs, 22 practice staff and 418 patients participated in the study. Overall, patients, practice staff and GPs found StepCare acceptable and feasible, commending its privacy, the mental health screening, monitoring and feedback. They also made suggestions for service improvements. GPs reported that StepCare helped with their identification and management of patients with common mental health issues. Conclusions Preliminary data suggest that StepCare may be acceptable and feasible in Australian general practice, helping GPs identify and manage common mental health problems in their patients. The study provides implications for policy and practice, and points the way to future translational research into stepped mental health care. What is known about the topic? Depression and anxiety are common illnesses in primary care and GPs are ideally placed to implement stepped care approaches enabling early detection and accessible, effective care. What does this paper add? Developed in and for general practice, StepCare is the first fully integrated stepped approach to primary mental health care in Australia. As a first step in a translational research program evaluating the effectiveness of StepCare, this paper reports data regarding the feasibility and acceptability of the service. What are the implications for practitioners? Integrated into the workflow of general practice, StepCare is an online service that helps GPs detect new cases of depression and anxiety, provide evidence-based stepped care treatments and monitor patients’ progress.

scholarly journals Recruiting to a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Web-Based Program for People With Type 2 Diabetes and Depression: Lessons Learned at the Intersection of e-Mental Health and Primary Care (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Fletcher ◽  
Janine Clarke ◽  
Samineh Sanatkar ◽  
Peter Baldwin ◽  
Jane Gunn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Recruitment Methods ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Randomized Controlled

BACKGROUND E-mental health (eMH) interventions are now widely available and they have the potential to revolutionize the way that health care is delivered. As most health care is currently delivered by primary care, there is enormous potential for eMH interventions to support, or in some cases substitute, services currently delivered face to face in the community setting. However, randomized trials of eMH interventions have tended to recruit participants using online recruitment methods. Consequently, it is difficult to know whether participants who are recruited online differ from those who attend primary care. OBJECTIVE This paper aimed to document the experience of recruiting to an eMH trial through primary care and compare the characteristics of participants recruited through this and other recruitment methods. METHODS Recruitment to the SpringboarD randomized controlled trial was initially focused on general practices in 2 states of Australia. Over 15 months, we employed a comprehensive approach to engaging practice staff and supporting them to recruit patients, including face-to-face site visits, regular contact via telephone and trial newsletters, and development of a Web-based patient registration portal. Nevertheless, it became apparent that these efforts would not yield the required sample size, and we therefore supplemented recruitment through national online advertising and promoted the study through existing networks. Baseline characteristics of participants recruited to the trial through general practice, online, or other sources were compared using the analysis of variance and chi square tests. RESULTS Between November 2015 and October 2017, 780 people enrolled in SpringboarD, of whom 740 provided information on the recruitment source. Of these, only 24 were recruited through general practice, whereas 520 were recruited online and 196 through existing networks. Key barriers to general practice recruitment included perceived mismatch between trial design and diabetes population, prioritization of acute health issues, and disruptions posed by events at the practice and community level. Participants recruited through the 3 different approaches differed in age, gender, employment status, depressive symptoms, and diabetes distress, with online participants being distinguished from those recruited through general practice or other sources. However, most differences reached only a small effect size and are unlikely to be of clinical importance. CONCLUSIONS Time, labor, and cost-intensive efforts did not translate into successful recruitment through general practice in this instance, with barriers identified at several different levels. Online recruitment yielded more participants, who were broadly similar to those recruited via general practice.

scholarly journals Budget-holding: The answer to Australian primary care reform?

1999 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 78
Author(s):  
Paula Wilton ◽  
Richard D Smith
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Oecd Countries ◽  
Economic Cooperation ◽  
Managed Competition ◽  
Effective Strategy ◽  
Coordinated Care ◽  
Australian Health ◽  
Primary Care Reform

In common with other Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)countries, Australia is experiencing growth in expenditure on health care. However, while many other nations continue to pursue some variation of managed competition to address these problems, Australia has chosen a more incremental reform path, with initiatives such as the General Practice Strategy, restrictions in doctor supply and coordinated care trials. This article reviews the likely effectiveness of such initiatives in the light of experience and evidence of budget-holding in achieving similar objectives overseas. It concludes that budget-holding offers a more effective strategy than current 'piecemeal' reforms to contain costs and increase efficiency within Australian health care.

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