Zdravniški Vestnik (Nov 2003)
COOPERATION BETWEEN FAMILY DOCTORS AND SPECIALISTS AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF HEALTH CARE
Abstract
Background. Progress of medical science, development of new technologies and new medications, aging of population, limited sources, increasing health – consciousness and demands of the population require new approaches to the organisation of health – care. Besides all activities which protect and preserve health of an individual, health care integrates several other activities, including the care at various levels. All health care activities in Slovenia, at primary and also at secondary and tertiary level have increased significantly in the past decade. The characteristics of overload at various levels vary significantly and should be analysed separately. A critical view of the present state of art may render possibilities for better access, decreased working load and include the efforts for maintaining on even improving the quality of primary health care. Moreover, it is absolutely necessary as a solid foundation for cooperation with care providers at higher levels. New communication technologies offer new possibilities for communication between doctors at various levels of health care. Health reforms, transformations of health care system, new clinical guidelines and recommendations facilitate more rational healthcare and its higher quality. Collecting data on patient satisfaction, or their perception of quality of health care, beside standardized predictors of quality and pear monitoring enable feedback information for the health providers, which is essential.Conclusions. Increasing demand of the patients at all levels of health care is overloading the normal functioning and demands change in the health care system. The central, »gate keeper« role of the family practitioner coordinates treatment on the same level and offers possibility of referring to secondary and tertiary level. New organisation skills, modern means of communication, follow – up of quality and satisfaction surveys should decrease the burden of doctors, improve the access to health care and enable its higher quality. Besides better education, all providers of health care will invest greater personal efforts, and improve their effectiveness and communication skills. There is no doubt all providers of health care should have a common goal: providing the care for ill people of the highest quality possible.
