Continuity of care and quality care outcomes for people experiencing chronic conditions: A literature review.
Continuity of patient care is frequently linked to quality care outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the clinical trial literature in order to determine the extent to which informational, management, and relational continuity of care are associated with quality care indicators. A MEDLINE search of the literature via PubMed was conducted for clinical trials that were carried out from 1 January 1996-1 June 2005. Analyses of 32 unduplicated citations revealed a focus on one or more aspects of continuity and its association with quality care outcomes. Management continuity interventions were identified most often, followed by informational and relational continuity interventions. The outcomes were primarily patient-focused with a wide range of functional status, quality of life, and patient satisfaction indicators. This analysis provides implications for research that could contribute to an understanding of the types of continuity of patient care and their relationships to quality care.
van Servellen
Gwen
G
Acute care Section, School of Nursing, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6917, USA. Gservell@sonnet.ucla.edu
Fongwa
Marie
M
Mockus D'Errico
Ellen
E
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019468:Disease Management; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D015995:Prevalence; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012107:Research Design