The calling a doctor in: what an optimal model can be? (publications review)

Abstract

The primary health care represent the most common segment of medical care in many countries and provides prevention and treatment of diseases, dynamic monitoring of patients with chronic diseases and medical rehabilitation. There is substantial shortage of health personnel to meet health needs all over the world, especially in primary health care. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this problem. It changed workload in primary health care and demonstrated need for new organizational solutions to increase access to primary health care. One of the new transformations in general practice can be redistribution of medical work in primary health care. In this research, five options for organizational models of primary home care were identified. We used "performer (doctor / nurse)", "payment method for the home visit", "frequency of patient visits per week" as indices. There is lack of unified approach in the way how home visits are organized so optimal organizational model of primary home medical care is needed. This will increase access of most demanded type of medical care and ensure rational use of human resources at the primary health care level, especially during COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: home medical care; home visit; physician; primary health care.