Keywords: primary health care, coordinated care, patient experience

Background:

In Oct. 2022, the implementation of coordinated care (CC) started in Poland. It was a response to low-quality capitation-based model of PHC funding and concept to overcome deficiencies in care management for people with chronic diseases. CC is a concept aimed at improving quality of medical services and efficiency of use of resources in ambulatory health care.

Aim of the case report:

Coordinated care was introduced as a model of care covering patients with chronic diseases in cardiology, diabetology, endocrinology, pulmonology and, a year later, nephrology. 38% of PHC providers implement coordinated care, covering 48% of Poland's population.
After 2 years, we conducted a survey of 1,024 patients under CC. The project leader was an NGO and partners - scientific societies and employers' associations.

Case report:

The overall perception of CC is very positive. Key conclusions point to improved access to SHC, better organization of appointments and more effective communication between patients and medical staff. Respondents point to faster access to consultations and more efficient use of diagnostic tests. Integration of services and support of coordinator at clinics are highly rated. Patients feel safer and better informed about their health, which significantly improves their treatment experience. More than 92% of patients are satisfied with their level of involvement in decisions regarding diagnosis and treatment, a positive indicator of effective cooperation between patients and care professionals.

Conclusions:

Most patients recommend CC to their relatives, pointing to its effectiveness and convenience. Patients appreciate the possibility of faster access to specialists and better organization of the treatment process. Among the recommendations for improving care, patients point to the need to increase the availability of CC in smaller localities and to introduce additional services, such as psychological and neurological care, as well as rehabilitation.
The key aspect is to maintain the pace of development, quality control, evaluation and improvement of the system