Manila Bonciani

Esperienze di integrazione nell’assistenza primaria basate sulla co-location dei servizi: quali prospettive per il modello della Casa della Salute?

L’integrazione nell’assistenza primaria rappresenta una sfida strategica per far fronte alla maggior complessita dei bisogni di presa in carico della popolazione. L’articolo analizza i modelli organizzativi dei servizi di assistenza primaria a partire dalla loro collocazione in sedi uniche che sono stati implementati sia nel contesto europeo che nazionale, osservando come vengono declinate le varie dimensioni dell’integrazione. A livello italiano viene analizzato il modello delle Case della Salute e il caso studio della Regione Toscana ne permette di identificare, attraverso l’analisi cluster, tre diverse articolazioni organizzative. Il confronto tra le esperienze europee, regionali e locali mette in evidenza luci, ombre e possibili sviluppi del modello di integrazione dell’assistenza primaria proposto dalle Case della Salute.

Is the co-location of GPs in primary care centres associated with a higher patient satisfaction? Evidence from a population survey in Italy

BackgroundSeveral countries have co-located General Practitioners (GPs) in Primary Care Centres (PCCs) with other health and social care professionals in order to improve integrated care. It is not clear whether the co-location of a multidisciplinary team actually facilitates a positive patient experience concerning GP care. The aim of this study was to verify whether the co-location of GPs in PCCs is associated positively with patient satisfaction with their GP when patients have experience of a multidisciplinary team. We also investigated whether patients who frequently use health services, due to their complex needs, benefitted the most from the co-location of a multidisciplinary team.MethodsThe study used data from a population survey carried out in Tuscany (central Italy) at the beginning of 2015 to evaluate the patients’ experience and satisfaction with their GPs. Multilevel linear regression models were implemented to verify the relationship between patient satisfaction and co-location. This key explanatory variable was measured by considering both the list of GPs working in PCCs and the answers of surveyed patients who had experienced the co-location of their GP in a multidisciplinary team. We also explored the effect modification on patient satisfaction due to the use of hospitalisation, access to emergency departments and visits with specialists, by performing the multilevel modelling on two strata of patient data: frequent and non-frequent health service users.ResultsA sample of 2025 GP patients were included in the study, 757 of which were patients of GPs working in a PCC. Patient satisfaction with their GP was generally positive. Results showed that having a GP working within a PCC and the experience of the co-located multidisciplinary team were associated with a higher satisfaction (p < 0.01). For non-frequent users of health services on the other hand, the co-location of multidisciplinary team in PCCs was not significantly associated with patient satisfaction, whereas for frequent users, the strength of relationships identified in the overall model increased (p < 0.01).ConclusionThe co-location of GPs with other professionals and their joint working as experienced in PCCs seems to represent a greater benefit for patients, especially for those with complex needs who use primary care, hospitals, emergency care and specialized care frequently.

Innovatori, indecisi, bisognosi o autonomi. I medici di medicina generale tra integrazione e accountability

L’assistenza primaria in Italia sta subendo una radicale riforma con l’introduzione delle Aggregazioni Funzionali Territoriali (AFT), ovvero gruppi obbligatori di medici di medicina generale che si associano per rispondere insieme sia ai bisogni della popolazione assistita, sia per implementare le logiche del governo clinico. La Toscana gia a partire del 2014 e stata una delle prime Regioni a formalizzare le AFT negli Accordi Regionali e Aziendali e a nominare i coordinatori di AFT, ovvero medici di medicina generale che hanno il compito di guidare l’AFT nella programmazione e revisione di obiettivi di governo. A partire da un questionario rivolto ai coordinatori di AFT toscani, gli autori hanno analizzato la percezione dei coordinatori rispetto all’innovazione rappresentata dalla AFT, sia in termini di fiducia verso la logica di integrazione monoprofessionale (fiducia verso l’organizzazione), sia in termini di difficolta percepita rispetto all’assolvimento del proprio incarico (fiducia verso il ruolo). Sulla base di tali criteri, gli autori hanno delineato, per il contesto della Toscana, 4 differenti gruppi di coordinatori con percezioni simili verso l’innovazione manageriale e organizzativa della medicina generale.

General practitioners: Between integration and co-location. The case of primary care centers in Tuscany, Italy

Healthcare systems have followed several strategies aimed at integrating primary care services and professionals. Medical homes in the USA and Canada, and primary care centres across Europe have collocated general practitioners and other health and social professionals in the same building in order to boost coordination among services and the continuity of care for patients. However, in the literature, the impact of co-location on primary care has led to controversial results. This article analyses the possible benefits of the co-location of services in primary care focusing on the Italian model of primary care centres (Case della Salute) in terms of general practitioners’ perception. We used the results of a web survey of general practitioners in Tuscany to compare the experiences and satisfaction of those general practitioners involved and not involved in a primary care centre, performed a MONAVA and ANOVA analysis. Our case study highlights the positive impact of co-location on the integration of professionals, especially with nurses and social workers, and on organizational integration, in terms of frequency of meeting to discuss about quality of care. Conversely, no significant differences were found in terms of either clinical or system integration. Furthermore, the collaboration with specialists is still weak. Considering the general practitioners’ perspective in terms of experience and satisfaction towards primary care, co-location strategies is a necessary step in order to facilitate the collaboration among professionals and to prevent unintended consequences in terms of an even possible isolation of primary care as an involuntary ‘disintegration of the integration’.

The benefits of co-location in primary care practices: the perspectives of general practitioners and patients in 34 countries

BackgroundThere is no clear evidence as to whether the co-location of primary care professionals in the same facility positively influences their way of working and the quality of healthcare as perceived by patients. The aim of this study was to identify the relationships between general practitioner (GP) co-location with other GPs and/or other professionals and the GP outcomes and patients’ experiences.MethodsWe wanted to test whether GP co-location is related to a broader range of services provided, the use of clinical governance tools and inter-professional collaboration, and whether the patients of co-located GPs perceive a better quality of care in terms of accessibility, comprehensiveness and continuity of care with their GPs. The source of data was the QUALICOPC study (Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe), which involved surveys of GPs and their patients in 34 countries, mostly in Europe. In order to study the relationships between GP co-location and both GPs’ outcomes and patients’ experience, multilevel linear regression analysis was carried out.ResultsThe GP questionnaire was filled in by 7183 GPs and the patient experience questionnaire by 61,931 patients. Being co-located with at least one other professional is the most common situation of the GPs involved in the study. Compared with single-handed GP practices, GP co-location are positively associated with the GP outcomes. Considering the patients’ perspective, comprehensiveness of care has the strongest negative relationship of GP co-location of all the dimensions of patient experiences analysed.ConclusionsThe paper highlights that GP mono- and multi-disciplinary co-location is related to positive outcomes at a GP level, such as a broader provision of technical procedures, increased collaboration among different providers and wider coordination with secondary care. However, GP co-location, particularly in a multidisciplinary setting, is related to less positive patient experiences, especially in countries with health systems characterised by a weak primary care structure.

Performance evaluation in healthcare: the experience of maternity pathway from Tuscany to the Italian network of regions

Background Considering that performance measurement is largely recognised as a key tool for quality improvement, which kind of performance evaluation can be useful for healthcare professional, general managers and regional policy makers to improve the mother and child healthcare services? The presentation of the experience in assessing the maternity pathway (MP), made initially by Tuscany and successively shared within a network of Italian regions, will contribute to answer this question.