Primary care workforce development in Europe: an overview of health system responses and stakeholder views

Better primary care has become a key strategy for reforming health systems to respond effectively to increases in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) with growing multi-morbidity and changing healthcare needs of the population [1 –11]. A recent ‘High-level regional meeting’ of European countries has identified ‘integrated primary care embedded in communities’ as one of ‘the nine cornerstones of a comprehensive and aligned health system response to NCDs’ [12, p.4-5]. Comparative studies have shown that strong pr imary care systems achieve better health outcomes and better results in relation to both cost-containment and reducing inequality in access to, and accessibility of, care; they also support more effective service utilisation elsewhere in the health system [3–4,13–16].

Source: Health Policy - August 7, 2018 Category: Health Management Authors: Ellen Kuhlmann, Peter P. Groenewegen, Christine Bond, Viola Burau, David J. Hunter Source Type: research