Complex Care Needs in Multiple Chronic Conditions: Population Prevalence and Characterization in Primary Care. A Study Protocol

• Published in: International journal of integrated care Vol. 18; no. 2; p. 16
• Main Authors: Iglesias, Francisco Hernansanz, Celada, Clara Alavedra, Navarro, Carmen Berbel, Morales, Lidia Palau, Visus, Nuria Albi, Valverde, Cristina Cobo, Dorado, Vanessa Matias, Martínez Muñoz, Maria Luisa, Pueyo, Carles Blay, Ramírez, Esther Limón, Villaroel, Raimon Milà, Jordana, Núria Montellà, Bonet Simó, Josep Maria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Ubiquity Press 25-05-2018
• Subjects: Case reports; Censuses; chronic diseases; Chronic illnesses; Comorbidity; complex care needs; Complex patients; Disease prevention; Health services; Hospitals; integrated care; Medical prognosis; multimorbidity; patient complexity; Population; Primary care; Professionals; Research and Theory; Survival analysis; Spain; patient complexity; multimorbidity; primary care; integrated care; complex care needs; chronic diseases
• ISSN: 1568-4156; 1568-4156
• DOI: 10.5334/ijic.3292

Chronicity, and particularly complex care needs for people with chronic diseases is one of the main challenges of health systems.
To determine the population prevalence of people with chronic diseases and complex care needs and to characterize these needs considering features of health and social complexity in Primary Care.
Cross-sectional population-based study.
Patients who have one or more chronic health conditions from three Primary Care urban centres of a reference population of 43.647 inhabitants older than 14 years old.
Data will be obtained from the review of electronical medical records. Complexity will be defined by: 1) the independent clinical judgment of primary care physicians and nurses and 2) the aid of three complexity domains (clinical and social). Patients with advanced chronic disease and limited life prognosis will be also described.
This research protocol intends to describe and analyse complex care needs from a primary care professional perspective in order to improve knowledge of complexity beyond multimorbidity and previous consumption of health resources. Knowing about health and social complexity with a more robust empirical basis could help for a better integration of social and health policies and a more proactive and differentiated care approach in this most vulnerable population.