Primary Care Services - HSO 34015:2018(E)
Following a review of national and international literature and organizations including the World Health Organization primary care is defined as the following:
"As part of the broader primary health care framework, primary care is a service at the entry to the health care system that addresses diagnosis, ongoing treatment and management of health conditions as well as health promotion, disease and injury prevention, and referral to health care specialists."
The Primary Care standard contains elements of a concept known as the primary care "patient-centred medical home." Clients with a medical home are much more likely to receive high quality, safe and appropriate primary care services, and to be satisfied with the services they receive. The "patient-centred medical home" includes the following principles: a regular physician or setting of care; the physician or team take responsibility for the ongoing care of patients; enhanced access through open scheduling and a setting of care that is easy to contact during regular office hours; and the coordination and integration of care across all elements of the health care system such as other physicians, providers or settings.
The Primary Care standard may be applied in the following settings: the family practice, clinic, hospital or in a community health centre. Primary care services can be delivered by one practitioner or a group, team, or network of primary care providers and can be co-located, or delivered in a number of sites.
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