A snapshot of the organization and provision of primary care in Turkey

Dionne S Kringos,Ernst Spaan,Martina Pellny,Wienke Gw Boerma

doi:10.1186/1472-6963-11-90

Abstract

BackgroundThis 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.MethodsThe 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.ResultsPrimary 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.ConclusionsThe 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).

Highlights

This World Health Organization (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)
The background to primary care reforms differs between Western Europe and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and those formerly belonging to the Soviet Union
In the first mentioned countries emphasis on primary care (PC) is a response to rising costs and changing epidemiological and demographic trends, while the second mentioned countries are struggling to improve the performance of their health care systems as a whole [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]

Summary

Introduction

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). Policy makers and managers increasingly demand evidence of progress in WHO Primary Health Care Programme The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe supports 53 member states to strengthen their health care systems. Since 2000, WHO has increased its focus on how health systems are governed, how they are provided with human and other resources, how the funding of health influences access to services and how the provision of services is organized and implemented. The latter is especially important in PC since in many member states knowledge on this is still scarce.

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion