What is primary care and how do we stimulate organizational strength?

What is primary care and how do we stimulate organizational strength?

Do we want healthcare in the future efficientëvthan A major role in this is reserved for primary care. Better cooperation within primary care and with other disciplines is absolutely necessary. But what is primary care anyway? And But what is primary care anyway? And In what way will this cooperation come about?

A visit to the family doctor, social worker or child health clinic: we all have to deal with primary care at some point. The importance of this cannot be underestimated. A value-driven care approach falls stands or falls with solid primary care.
Research has shown that the health of citizens is better
and costs are lower if primary care is
works well
.

What do we mean by primary care?

The eprimary care is directly accessible care. On health care providers of the firstline can be called upon directly. This is in contrast to second-line care. These are care providers to which your only upon referral from the primary access to thebt.

In everyday language In everyday language we often equate primary care with general practitioner care. But primary care is much more. Also disciplines such as nursing care, physiotherapy, general social workthe district nurse and psychological care. The general practitioner often a pivotal role, since he/she is is the first person to whom the patientënt to whom the patient appeals.

More important than the parties parties who are part of primary care are the functions that the system performs. Primary care must:

1. 1. providing easily accessible care in the event of health problems
2. 2. have a broad range of care
3. 3. providing continuous person-centred care
4. 4. guarantee good coördination of this care

In addition, the so-called ‘equity principle’ must be leading: In principle, everyone has equal opportunities to enjoy the best possible health.

What are the characteristics of primary care?

Primary care has the following four characteristics:

1. 
   1. M
   
   human-focused
   
   heath
   . The patientënt is central. It’s about his/her health in the context of his or her social environment.
2. 
   2. Population Focus
   . A primary care system strives for the best possible health of the population for which it is responsible.
3. 
   3. Integral offer of services
   . Different disciplines within the system work as efficientëas efficiently as possible in order to een an integrated care offer.
4. 
   4. Gatekeeper function
   . Primary Care is the door to specialist medical care. PatiëPatients who need this more specialized care are referred quickly and effectively.

G

Lack o f

rganisational capacity

The Organisational strength of primary care is still leaves much to be desired. Primary carescare is organised according to the principles of
monodisciplinary
small business
but includes many more disciplines. As a result, it cannot always live up to the characteristics described above. Despite the introduction of careggroups, health centres and general practitioners’ outposts, the organisational power of the primary care a weak point. And it is precisely organizational strength that is needed to live up to the four characteristics and ensure good, affordable care.

Collaboration in regional care:

questions and essenti

ë

essential building blocks

To gain organisational strength, more cooperation is needed within a region. This raises questions. What is needed to achieve good cooperation? Who are all parties involved? How do we organise the collaboration? It is important to ask all questions and more importantly, the answers to them.

What are the requirements for a good e primary care ultimately to meet? In a
previous blog
have I this has already been extensively discussed. These are, in short, the essentialëessential building blocks:

• 
  Co
  
  ö
  
  rdination of care.
  A good coordinationöcare is characterized by active case management. case managementaccessible care plans and regular multidisciplinary consultation.
• 
  Data-driven
  
  performance management.
  This is already being used in hospitals, but primary care is lagging behind. By collecting data, the pelen of information systems and the use of algorithms we can make predictions about the demand for care within a region. The parties in a region can respond to this.
• Leadership and governance. The combination of clinical and managerial leadership often works best in these cases. Professionals in the field, such as general practitioners and physiotherapists, know how things work in healthcare and are therefore the right people to provide leadership within a well-functioning partnership.
• Collaboration and shared responsibility. Multidisciplinary collaboration is, as already mentioned, essential for primary care.
• 
  Accessibility.
  Essential for both patients andëindividuals as well as organizations. Not only should healthcare be accessible offline, but also online. eand a clear system of e-Health applications that organisations can use to design their care.

From theory to practice: Organisation & Infrastructure

As of 1 January 2018, primary care providers within a region money to make partnerships. This form of financing is called Organisation & Infrastructure. But it takes more than just money. Organisations in the region must know how to find each other and make agreements about their cooperation.

In regional care, we distinguish four parties:

• Other care organizations
• Primary care organizations
• Health Insurers
• Municipalities

If these parties can cooperate better, the common interest remains guaranteed: the right care for the patient.ënt at the right place in the region.

How exactly should this cooperation take shape? This depends on a number of factors. These may include demographic or regional factors. Theprocess towards a solid partnership within primary care includes six steps. These steps are described in the white paper Value-based healthcare a call for integrated action by Essenburgh Training & Advies, which can be downloaded here.

Collaborating on Value-Driven Care: Download the free e-Book

As indicated, there is still much to be gained in terms of cooperation in primary care. To do this, obstacles must be overcome. Download the free e-Book below and learn how to overcome the obstacles for collaboration within your organization and within the region. Click on the link below to download the e-Book.