Connecting Care in the Community: what works and what doesn’t
Elizabeth Lucas A C , Elizabeth Halcomb B and Sandra McCarthy AA Grand Pacific Health, PO Box 1198, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia.
B School of Nursing, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: llucas@gph.org.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 22(6) 539-544 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY15141
Submitted: 29 September 2015 Accepted: 14 December 2015 Published: 16 May 2016
Abstract
As the burden of chronic and complex disease grows, there is an emphasis on programs that enhance the quality of care within primary care. The Connecting Care in the Community (CCC) program is an example of the implementation of care integration. This qualitative study sought to explore the experiences general practice staff face in managing clients with chronic and complex care issues, and their perceptions of the contribution of the CCC program to this care. Seventeen general practice staff from 11 practices throughout the Illawarra/Shoalhaven region participated in semistructured interviews. Five main themes emerged: (1) awareness of the CCC program; (2) varying program exposure and value placed on the program; (3) practice ‘busyness’ and role confusion; (4) communication and information sharing; and (5) the need for staff education and knowledge of local resources. If policymakers and healthcare organisations can gain a better understanding of the experiences of general practice staff, they will be able to design and implement programs that best meet the needs of the providers that they are attempting to integrate.
Additional keywords: care coordination, general practice, perception.
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