Briefing Recap: Barriers To Care For Patients With Complex Health Needs

The 2015 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey, the 18th annual, gathered information from thousands of primary care physicians in 10 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. The results showed that while a majority of respondents feel well prepared to manage the care of patients with complex needs, their ability to provide enhanced access and care management is hindered by significant communication and coordination challenges. The results of the study, which were published in the December 2015 issue of Health Affairs, included these major findings: Doctors’ views of practice preparedness to manage the care of these patients decline steeply when patients have severe mental illness or substance abuse-related problems. Primary care practice capacity to provide enhanced access and care management depend heavily on the use of allied health professionals and technology solutions, such as email access and patient portals. Primary care physicians’ ability to coordinate care for these patients is hampered by lack of communication with specialists, hospitals and emergency departments, home care providers, and social services organizations. Uptake of electronic medical records (EMRs) has been steep over the past three years, especially in Canada and the United States, but interoperability remains a significant challenge. The authors of the paper conclude, The need to bolster primary care in the United States is critical. Among the ...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: Elsewhere@ Health Affairs Featured Global Health Health IT Health Professionals Long-term Services and Supports Public Health Quality Australia Israel OECD patient-centered care Physicians Primary Care Source Type: blogs