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BACKGROUND: Primary care teams (PCTs) are recognised to improve the quality of care. However, few studies have examined which PCT composition best meets patients' primary care (PC) needs. AIM: To describe the composition of PCTs in 11 Western countries and investigate potential associations with GPs' opinions about their practice's ability to manage patients with chronic conditions and communicate with caregivers. DESIGN and ability to manage patients with chronic conditions. RESULTS: Overall, 13 200 responses were analysed. Five types of PCT were characterised (traditional, multidisciplinary, nurse-centred, psychologist-centred, and physiotherapist-centred). The traditional type represented 51.6% of all PCTs; they were mainly composed of moderate percentages of all the HCPs. The multidisciplinary type (11.9%) were composed of high percentages of the different HCPs. After controlling for country, the multidisciplinary type reported better coordination with SS and CPs than did traditional ones (odds ratio 0.39, 95% confidence interval = 0.29 to 0.53). CONCLUSION: Multidisciplinary PCTs reported better outcomes than traditional ones regarding their coordination with SS and CPs, and perceived ability to manage patients with chronic conditions. These results should encourage governmental efforts to promote PC that uses multidisciplinary PCTs.
Camaret et al. (Fri,) studied this question.