Integrating community services into primary care: improving the quality of dementia care

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Lee ◽  
Loretta M Hillier ◽  
David Harvey
2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii1-iii16
Author(s):  
Meghan Bourque ◽  
Tony Foley

Abstract Background The prevalence of dementia in Ireland is rising. General Practitioners (GPs) play a central role in caring for people with dementia. There is a growing demand for community-based care, emphasized by the Irish National Dementia Strategy (INDS). The INDS advocates a multidisciplinary, community-based approach to dementia care. However, there is a paucity of research exploring GPs’ views on dementia since publication of the INDS. The aim of the study is to develop a deeper understanding of how to improve the quality of dementia care in General Practice from the perspective of Irish GPs. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs. GPs who completed a continuing professional development module in Cork on dementia in primary care were purposively recruited. Interviews were analyzed thematically. Analysis was iterative and ongoing with data collection. Results 12 (34.3%) GPs agreed to participate. 10 interviews have been conducted to-date. Participants were evenly distributed by sex (5 male, 5 female). Experience in General Practice varied (3-32 years). Most GPs practiced in mixed urban-rural settings (n=8) and had nursing home commitments (n=7). The average interview length was approximately 45 minutes. Three major themes emerged from the data set: factors promoting care in current practice; resistance to care; and recommendations to improve care. Continuity of care, early disease recognition, coding, audit, and coordinated care teams were recognized as factors promoting quality care. Time, funding, access to secondary care, and inadequate community resources hindered care. GPs emphasized the need for coordinated community services, GP education, review of the chronic disease management scheme for GPs, and service standardization in order to improve care. Conclusion GPs find dementia care to be a complex, challenging aspect of primary care. While education and training is advocated by GPs, service delivery also needs to be reconfigured. Dementia needs to be included under chronic disease management in Ireland and services must become standardized.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. e0198811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anke Richters ◽  
Minke S. Nieuwboer ◽  
Marcel G. M. Olde Rikkert ◽  
Rene J. F. Melis ◽  
Marieke Perry ◽  
...  

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (S1) ◽  
pp. S44-S52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debra L. Cherry ◽  
Carol Hahn ◽  
Barbara G. Vickrey

ABSTRACTThis paper presents a strategy for training primary care physicians in the identification, diagnosis and management of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. The strategy uses evidence-based practice guidelines to establish quality benchmarks and then provides training and other interventions to improve the quality of care received by these patients. The three projects described in this paper assumed that training of primary care physicians alone would not be sufficient to achieve the quality benchmarks derived from guidelines. The projects used creative training strategies supplemented by provider “tool kits”, provider checklists, educational detailing, and endorsement from organizational leadership to reinforce what the primary care providers learned in educational sessions. Each project also implemented a system of dementia care management to “wrap around” traditional primary care to ensure that quality benchmarks would be achieved. Outcomes of two completed studies support the premise that it is possible to improve quality of dementia care through physician education that occurs in association with a coordinated system of dementia care management and in collaboration with community agencies to access guideline-recommended social services.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (s2) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Anke Richters ◽  
Minke Nieuwboer ◽  
Marcel Olde Rikkert ◽  
Rene Melis ◽  
Marieke Perry ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Lech ◽  
Julie Lorraine O'Sullivan ◽  
Johanna Drewelies ◽  
Wolfram Herrmann ◽  
Robert Spang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: General practitioners (GPs) play a key role in the care of people with dementia (PwD). However, the role of the German Dementia Guideline in primary care remains unclear. The main objective of the present study was to examine the role of guideline-based dementia care in general practices.Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of data obtained from the DemTab study was conducted. Descriptive analyses of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics for GPs (N = 28) and PwD (N = 91) were conducted. Adherence to the German Dementia Guideline of GPs was measured at the level of PwD. Linear Mixed Models were used to analyze the associations between adherence to the German Dementia Guideline and GP factors at individual (age, years of experience as a GP, frequency of utilization of guideline, perceived usefulness of guideline) and structural (type of practice, total number of patients seen by a participating GP, and total number of PwD seen by a participating GP) levels as well as between adherence to the German Dementia Guideline and PwD’s quality of life. Results: Self-reported overall adherence of GPs was on average 71% (SD = 19.4, range: 25 – 100). Adherence to specific recommendations varied widely (from 19.2% to 95.3%) and the majority of GPs (79.1%) reported the guideline as only partially or somewhat helpful. Further, we found lower adherence to be significantly associated with higher numbers of patients (γ10 = -5.58, CI = -10.97, -0.19, p = .04). No association between adherence to the guideline and PwD’s quality of life was found (γ10 = -.86, CI = -4.18, 2.47, p = .61). Conclusion: The present study examined the role of adherence to the German Dementia Guideline recommendations in primary care. Overall, GPs reported high levels of adherence. However, major differences across guideline recommendations were found. Findings highlight the importance of guidelines for the provision of care. Dementia guidelines for GPs need to be better tailored and addressed. Further, structural changes such as more time for PwD may contribute to a sustainable change of dementia care in primary care.Trial registration: The DemTab trial was prospectively registered with the ISRCTN registry (Trial registration number: ISRCTN15854413). Registered 01 April 2019, https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN15854413


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan Bourque ◽  
Tony Foley

Background: General Practitioners (GPs) play a central role in caring for people with dementia. There is a growing demand for GP-led community-based dementia care, as advocated in the Irish National Dementia Strategy (INDS). However, there is a paucity of research exploring GPs' views on dementia care since publication of the INDS. The aim of this qualitative study is to develop a deeper understanding of how to improve the quality of dementia care in General Practice, explored from the perspective of Irish GPs.Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs. GPs who completed the “Dementia in Primary Care” CPD module at University College Cork in Ireland were purposively recruited. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed by thematic analysis.Results: 12 interviews were conducted with 7 female and 5 male participants. Experience in General Practice ranged from 3 to 32 years. Most GPs practiced in mixed urban-rural settings (n = 9) and had nursing home commitments (n = 8). The average interview length was 45 minutes. Six major themes emerged from the data set, including resourcing primary care, addressing disparities in secondary care, community-centered care as patient-centered care, linking a dementia network, universal access to care, and raising public awareness.Conclusion: GPs find dementia care to be a complex and challenging aspect of primary care. While education and training is advocated by GPs, service delivery must be reconfigured. This will necessitate adequate financial resourcing and the restructuring of community-based dementia care services.


Author(s):  
Mary Helmer-Smith ◽  
Ariana Mihan ◽  
Claire Sethuram ◽  
Isabella Moroz ◽  
Lois Crowe ◽  
...  

Abstract Dementia is a growing concern in Canada, affecting peoples’ health and raising the cost of care. Between June and October 2019, we conducted an environmental scan to identify primary care models, strategies, and resources for dementia care from 11 pre-selected countries and assess their impact on quality-of-life measures. Search strategies included a rapid scoping review, grey literature search, and discussions with stakeholders. Eighteen primary care-based models of dementia care were identified. Common factors include team-based care, centralized care/case coordination, individual treatment plans, a stepped-care approach, and support for care partners. Five provinces had released a dementia strategy. Evidence of positive outcomes supported primary care-based models for dementia care, although only one model demonstrated evidence of impact on quality of life. Although these findings are encouraging, further research is needed to identify primary care-based models of dementia care that demonstrably improve quality of life for people living with dementia and their care partners.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Lech ◽  
Julie L. O’Sullivan ◽  
Johanna Drewelies ◽  
Wolfram Herrmann ◽  
Robert P. Spang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background General practitioners (GPs) play a key role in the care of people with dementia (PwD). However, the role of the German Dementia Guideline in primary care remains unclear. The main objective of the present study was to examine the role of guideline-based dementia care in general practices. Methods A cross-sectional analysis of data obtained from the DemTab study was conducted. Descriptive analyses of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics for GPs (N = 28) and PwD (N = 91) were conducted. Adherence to the German Dementia Guideline of GPs was measured at the level of PwD. Linear Mixed Models were used to analyze the associations between adherence to the German Dementia Guideline and GP factors at individual (age, years of experience as a GP, frequency of utilization of guideline, perceived usefulness of guideline) and structural (type of practice, total number of patients seen by a participating GP, and total number of PwD seen by a participating GP) levels as well as between adherence to the German Dementia Guideline and PwD’s quality of life. Results Self-reported overall adherence of GPs was on average 71% (SD = 19.4, range: 25–100). Adherence to specific recommendations varied widely (from 19.2 to 95.3%) and the majority of GPs (79.1%) reported the guideline as only partially or somewhat helpful. Further, we found lower adherence to be significantly associated with higher numbers of patients (γ10 = − 5.58, CI = − 10.97, − 0.19, p = .04). No association between adherence to the guideline and PwD’s quality of life was found (γ10 = −.86, CI = − 4.18, 2.47, p = .61). Conclusion The present study examined the role of adherence to the German Dementia Guideline recommendations in primary care. Overall, GPs reported high levels of adherence. However, major differences across guideline recommendations were found. Findings highlight the importance of guidelines for the provision of care. Dementia guidelines for GPs need to be better tailored and addressed. Further, structural changes such as more time for PwD may contribute to a sustainable change of dementia care in primary care. Trial registration The DemTab trial was prospectively registered with the ISRCTN registry (Trial registration number: ISRCTN15854413). Registered 01 April 2019.


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