An empirical definition of ?primary care?

Abstract

An operational definition of "primary care", useful to a wide variety of professionals, has eluded researchers since the term first gained popularity. This paper presents an activity-based definition of primary care derived from ratings of 59 representative health care activities by a group of state health administrators, a group of local health department directors, and a random sample of primary care physicians practicing in North Carolina. Thirty-one activities received ratings indicating they were considered core primary care services. Examination of differences in ratings among the three groups surveyed suggested that health department directors differ from the other two groups. Consideration of the variances of activity ratings within the groups emphasizes the unique response of the health department directors and identifies activities characterized by considerable disagreement. The study includes information necessary for researchers and practitioners to form an activity-based definition of varying scope. Definitions constructed from this information should be useful in planning the evaluation efforts that involve different groups of providers, since activities provide an objective basis for agreement. Repeating the approach outlined in the paper with other provider groups in other areas of the country should lead to better understanding of intergroup and regional differences in the concept of "primary care".

Primary health care in public health nursing

“…When we speak or primary health care, we may mean nurses with physical assessment skills, nurses in expanded practice (Diers & Molde 1983), and at times, primary nursing. This confusion has given way to 'dialogue that becomes a substitute for the real organizational change required in health care system (Farrow et al 1980).…”

“…When we speak or primary health care, we may mean nurses with physical assessment skills, nurses in expanded practice (Diers & Molde 1983), and at times, primary nursing. This confusion has given way to 'dialogue that becomes a substitute for the real organizational change required in health care system (Farrow et al 1980). The World Health Organization (WHO) definition from the Report of the International Conference on Primary Health Care (at Alma-Ata in 1978) defines primary health care as: Essential health care made universally accessible to individua and families in the community through their full participatio and by means acceptable to them and at a cost that the community and country can afford ....…”