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Journal of Primary Health Care Journal of Primary Health Care Society
Journal of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Patients’ perceptions of team-based care in family practice: access, benefits and team roles

Olga Szafran 1 , Sandra L. Kennett 2 , Neil R. Bell 3 , Lee Green 4
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

1 Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

2 Edmonton Oliver Primary Care Network, Family Medicine Clinic, Misericordia Community Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Currently: Primary Care, Health Canada, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

3 Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta Family Medicine Clinic, Misericordia Community Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

4 Department of Family Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Correspondence to: Olga Szafran, Department of Family Medicine, 6–10 University Terrace, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2T4, Canada. Email: olga.szafran@ualberta.ca

Journal of Primary Health Care 10(3) 248-257 https://doi.org/10.1071/HC18018
Published: 4 October 2018

Journal Compilation © Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners 2018.
This is an open access article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The increasing complexity of health care and escalating prevalence of multiple chronic conditions have driven interprofessional team-based care in family practice. Most published studies examine team-based care from the perspective of health professionals. The purpose of this study was to examine patients’ perceptions of team-based care in family practice.

METHODS: This was a waiting room survey conducted in five family medicine academic teaching clinics in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Patients aged ≥18 years were invited to participate in a survey addressing patient access to team-based care, perceived benefits, preferred health professional and team member roles.

RESULTS: Of the 44.3% (565/1274) of respondents, 41.8% (231/552) reported receiving care from a team of health professionals, primarily for chronic disease management or pharmacy consultations. While there was a consistent pattern of patient perception that many aspects of care did not worsen with team-based care, improvements in knowledge of their medical condition (67.4%); the care received (65.0%); access to care (51.1%); ability to self-care (48.9%) and maintain their independence (43.7%); and overall health (51.1%) were reported. Some patients felt that team-based care reduced emergency visits (34.6%) and hospitalisations (29.9%), and 44.1% of patients felt that they had an active role on the team and made decisions about their care together with health professionals.

CONCLUSION: Patients perceive that team-based care in family practice has improved their knowledge and access to care, overall health and avoided some emergency department visits and hospital admissions. The findings support the continued development of team-based care in family practice.

KEYWORDS: Family practice; primary health care; patient care team; patient-centred care; patient participation; Canada


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