Primary Care Reform - CMA Publication

Primary Care Reform is the third in the CMA Leadership Series of magazines. It is a useful publication for physicians who are considering an alternative funding and delivery of care model for primary care understanding that Information Technology and Electronic Medical Records will play an important role in the successful implementation of alternative models for health care delivery.

The publication gives an overview of primary care reform initiatives across Canada plus commentaries by family physicians and a look at alternate payment plans for specialists working in academic settings.

Link: Primary Care Reform - Canadian Medical Association June 2005

If you would like to comment on any of the articles in this publication or have some thoughts about primary care reform and the use of Information Technology, please click on the 'Comments' link below.

Comments

[Ron Joe]

The documents reiterate the CFPC principles in primary care renewal.

Specific to the EMR / PHR issue:

“Patients should own their health records; family physicians should be custodians of their records. As their patients move from one to another, their health records should move with them.”

In order for a family physician to be a true custodian, my thoughts are leaning towards a British style system in which a patient would need to register with a primary care group. If this is the position, then reform has a lot to do with public acceptance of the “one clinic” principle.

Currently, my patients’ “complete” records are fragmented – some at my practice and other parts at various walk-in clinics. The CPSBC has reiterated in its last quarterly newsletter the importance of notifying the family physician of such contacts but falls short of assuming responsibility for follow-up upon the family physician. ( #48 - Spring 2005)

Link: College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC - Physician Resources.

Modeling an EMR based on these principles would lean towards supporting family physicians and groups to maintain in-house databases in a secure and accessible manner.

My opinion is that this is achievable provided the database infrastructure is designed to cater to the needs of our offices.