Coordination and Integration in the Bentleigh Bayside Community Health Service

Abstract

The paper examines the development of coordinated and integrated primary care services through the establishment of community health centres in Victoria, with specific reference to the Bentleigh Bayside Community Health Service. In 1985 a random sample of 412 case records indicated that 52.4% of patients had seen more than one discipline at the Centre, and 34.7% of these patients received integrated care through case planning meetings. Fourteen criteria derived from the current literature were used to evaluate the integration and coordination of treatments and of health promotion activities. A repeat study demonstrated gains in health promotion, especially with respect to establishing support groups and the local coordination of community interventions. Integrated casework with external agencies has not changed. The analysis provides a base line for examining the effects of policy developments such as Primary Care Partnerships that address the issues of common assessments, exchange of client information and health promotion. Primary Care Partnerships are an extension of the structures in Community Health Centres. Primary Care Partnerships need to encourage personal contacts between agencies in order for individual and community health plans to be as effective as possible.