Operational integration in primary health care: patient encounters and workflows.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite several countrywide attempts to strengthen and standardise the primary healthcare (PHC) system, Greece is still lacking a sustainable, policy-based model of integrated services. The aim of our study was to identify operational integration levels through existing patient care pathways and to recommend an alternative PHC model for optimum integration.

Methods

The study was part of a large state-funded project, which included 22 randomly selected PHC units located across two health regions of Greece. Dimensions of operational integration in PHC were selected based on the work of Kringos and colleagues. A five-point Likert-type scale, coupled with an algorithm, was used to capture and transform theoretical framework features into measurable attributes. PHC ser

SUBMITTER: Sifaki-Pistolla D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5706391 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature