title: Improving the quality of care for patients with chronic diseases: what research and education in family medicine can contribute.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The theme of the EGPRN conference in Ljubljana 2012 was 'Quality improvement in the care of chronic disease in family practice: the contribution of education and research.'
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this contribution, we summarize our key note lectures and provide reflections on the theme.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Many countries have established programmes for training of primary care professionals and quality improvement in family medicine. Research and development has focused on new educational methods, practice accreditation, patient safety in primary care, models of structured chronic care, and tailored improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An international academic network of physicians, teachers and researchers in primary care should be nurtured to address the challenges of chronic illness care.
authors.affiliation: Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. m.wensing@iq.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wensing
authors.forename: Janko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kersnik
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D058996:Quality Improvement; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D017524:Slovenia