Continuity of care matters

• Published in: BMJ. British medical journal (International ed.) Vol. 337; no. 7669; pp. 548 - 549
• Main Author: GUTHRIE, Bruce
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London British Medical Association 06-09-2008; BMJ Publishing Group
• Edition: International edition
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; General aspects; Health care delivery; Medical sciences; Patient safety; Physician patient relationships; Quality of care; Continuity of care; Medicine
• ISSN: 0959-8146

Continuity of care refers on how an individual's health care is connected overtime. Whether continuity matters therefore depends on how important such connections are. Here, Guthrie et al argue that relationships between doctors and patients are central to good care. Continuity is often of little immediate concern to young healthy people consulting with minor, acute problems. However, current care cannot be isolated from past and future care for people with more serious of chronic problems, who are the heaviest users of the service. Moreover, Guthrie et al stress that an effective healthcare organization has to embody all dimensions of continuity--informational, management, and relationship continuity--alongside good access and systematic care. They discuss these three types of continuity of care and examine whether the relationship continuity matters in the medical practice. Furthermore, they explore how healthcare organizations can improve continuity and stress the need of creating and implementing policies that will recognize the importance of relationships and coordination of care by requiring the development and use of appropriate measures.