Comprehensive Primary Care in 5 European Countries: Results from a Physician and Patient Survey based on the Patient Centered Medical home Model

The patient-centered medical home is an American model for comprehensive care, but features of it may already exist in European primary care systems. Experiences of 15,100 chronically ill patients and 151 primary care providers in five European countries were collected based on medical home-features. Patients reported to have a personal physician, have no problems to contact the practice after hours and experienced no financial accessibility barriers. Less positive care experiences were reported for coordination, self-management support and psychosocial wellbeing. Despite strong organizational structures, primary care systems in European countries need additional efforts to recognize chronically ill patients as partners in care.

Publication year:2013