Patients Living with Social Vulnerabilities Experience Reduced Access at Team-Based Primary Healthcare Clinics.

Abstract

This study aims to explore differences in access to care as experienced by patients registered in team-based primary healthcare clinics according to their social vulnerability profile. A total of 1,562 patients from four team-based primary healthcare clinics completed an e-survey conducted between June and November 2021. The social vulnerability index was used to compare the experiences. Patients with low vulnerability consulted at emergency rooms three times more often because their family physician was not available (p = 0.006) than patients with no vulnerability. Lack of continuity was reported two times more often by patients with low vulnerability related to team members not knowing their recent medical history (p = 0.006) and by patients with high vulnerability related to no one being in charge of their file (p = 0.023). Both vulnerable groups reported receiving contradictory information more often than patients with no vulnerability. Patients with high vulnerability experienced more access difficulties related to continuity, interprofessional collaboration and communication with providers.