title: Care coordination between specialty care and primary care: a focus group study of provider perspectives on strong practices and improvement opportunities.
abstract: Care coordination between the specialty care provider (SCP) and the primary care provider (PCP) is a critical component of safe, efficient, and patient-centered care. Veterans Health Administration conducted a series of focus groups of providers, from specialty care and primary care clinics at VA Medical Centers nationally, to assess 1) what SCPs and PCPs perceive to be current practices that enable or hinder effective care coordination with one another and 2) how these perceptions differ between the two groups of providers. A qualitative thematic analysis of the gathered data validates previous studies that identify communication as being an important enabler of coordination, and uncovers relationship building between specialty care and primary care (particularly through both formal and informal relationship-building opportunities such as collaborative seminars and shared lunch space, respectively) to be the most notable facilitator of effective communication between the two sides. Results from this study suggest concrete next steps that medical facilities can take to improve care coordination, using as their basis the mutual understanding and respect developed between SCPs and PCPs through relationship-building efforts.
authors: Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial VA Hospital, Bedford, USA ; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Bo
authors: B
authors: Kim
authors: Office of Nursing Services, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Michelle A
authors: MA
authors: Lucatorto
authors: Chief Business Office, Purchased Care, Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Kara
authors: K
authors: Hawthorne
authors: New England Veterans Engineering Resource Center, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Janis
authors: J
authors: Hersh
authors: SJ Quinney College of Law, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
authors: Raquel
authors: R
authors: Myers
authors: Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial VA Hospital, Bedford, USA ; Department of Health Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: A Rani
authors: AR
authors: Elwy
authors: Specialty Care Services (10P4E), Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, USA.
authors: Glenn D
authors: GD
authors: Graham
keywords: interdepartmental relations; multidisciplinary communication; qualitative research; referral and consultation
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