QUALICOPC, a multi-country study evaluating quality, costs and equity in primary care

Abstract

BackgroundThe QUALICOPC (Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe) study aims to evaluate the performance of primary care systems in Europe in terms of quality, equity and costs. The study will provide an answer to the question what strong primary care systems entail and which effects primary care systems have on the performance of health care systems. QUALICOPC is funded by the European Commission under the "Seventh Framework Programme". In this article the background and design of the QUALICOPC study is described.Methods/designQUALICOPC started in 2010 and will run until 2013. Data will be collected in 31 European countries (27 EU countries, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey) and in Australia, Israel and New Zealand. This study uses a three level approach of data collection: the system, practice and patient. Surveys will be held among general practitioners (GPs) and their patients, providing evidence at the process and outcome level of primary care. These surveys aim to gain insight in the professional behaviour of GPs and the expectations and actions of their patients. An important aspect of this study is that each patient's questionnaire can be linked to their own GP's questionnaire. To gather data at the structure or national level, the study will use existing data sources such as the System of Health Accounts and the Primary Health Care Activity Monitor Europe (PHAMEU) database. Analyses of the data will be performed using multilevel models.DiscussionBy its design, in which different data sources are combined for comprehensive analyses, QUALICOPC will advance the state of the art in primary care research and contribute to the discussion on the merit of strengthening primary care systems and to evidence based health policy development.

Tipologia da estrutura das unidades básicas de saúde brasileiras: os 5 R

“…Um recente estudo realizado em 34 países identificou que os sistemas de saúde nos quais a atenção primária à saúde dispõe de estrutura adequada para facilitar o acesso à ampla gama de serviços, de forma coordenada e contínua, por meio da aplicação eficiente de recursos e prestação de cuidados de alta qualidade, contribuem para a equidade em saúde 6,7 .…”

Establishment of a Representative Practice-based Research Network (PBRN) for the Monitoring of Primary Care in Switzerland

“…3 A comprehensive list of PC physicians (PCPs) was formed using lists of member from the Association of Family Doctors and Pediatricians and the Swiss Society of General Internal Medicine (Figure 1). A random preselection of 2027 PCPs, stratified by canton according to population, were asked whether they would be willing to participate in a research network that was subsequently labeled the SPAM network.…”

Etkin Sağlık Sistemleri İçin Güçlü Birinci Basamak

“…9 Birinci basamak sistemi güçlü olan ülkelerde gelişmemiş olanlara göre sevk oranlarının gözle görülür derecede az olduğu yapılan araştırmalarda gösterilmiştir. 16 Bu çalışma sonucunda güçlü birinci basamağın gerekleri ve sağlık sistemleri performansına katkısıyla ilgili sorulara cevap beklenmektedir.…”