title: A snapshot of the organization and provision of primary care in Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This WHO study aimed to support Turkey in its efforts to strengthen the primary care (PC) system by implementing the WHO Primary Care Evaluation Tool (PCET). This article provides an overview of the organization and provision of primary care in Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  The WHO Primary Care Evaluation Tool was implemented in two provinces (Bolu and Eskişehir) in Turkey in 2007/08. The Tool consists of three parts: a national questionnaire concerning the organisation and financing of primary care; a questionnaire for family doctors; and a questionnaire for patients who visit a family health centre.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Primary care has just recently become an official health policy priority with the introduction of a family medicine scheme. Although the supply of family doctors (FDs) has improved, they are geographically uneven distributed, and nationwide shortages of primary care staff remain. Coordination of care could be improved and quality control mechanisms were lacking. However, patients were very satisfied with the treatment by FDs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study provides an overview of the current state of PC in Turkey for two provinces with newly introduced family medicine, by using a structured approach to evaluate the essential functions of PC, including governance, financing, resource generation, as well as the characteristics of a "good" service delivery system (as being accessible, comprehensive, coordinated and continuous).
authors.affiliation: NIVEL-Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Otterstraat 114-118, 3500 BN Utrecht, The Netherlands. d.kringos@nivel.nl
authors.forename: Dionne S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kringos
authors.forename: Wienke G W
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Boerma
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spaan
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellny
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009934:Organization and Administration; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey; D014944:World Health Organization