The association between the level of institutional support for dementia care in primary care practices and the quality of dementia primary care: A retrospective chart review.

Abstract

IntroductionInstitutional support, encompassing financial and training support, as well as interdisciplinary teams, may be important for the quality of dementia primary care for persons living with dementia. The aim of this study was to measure the association between the level of institutional support provided to primary care practices and the quality of dementia care.MethodsThis was a cross‐sectional chart review in 33 Canadian primary care practices to measure the quality of dementia primary care using a quality of follow‐up score. The score was based on the assessment of 10 indicators. Practices were chosen using a purposeful sampling method with varying levels of institutional support for dementia primary care (e.g., financial support, training, interdisciplinary team). A linear mixed‐effect model was used to measure the association between the level of institutional support and the quality of dementia care.ResultsThere was a significant association between the level of institutional support and the quality of dementia care (mean difference = 23.5, 95% confidence interval: 16.4, 30.6).DiscussionProviding more institutional support for primary care practices could be a promising avenue to improve the care of persons living with dementia.