Experience of chronic patients with care coordination and person-centered care in Slovenia - PaRIS project

Background This study assessed patient-reported experience measures (PREMs) of care coordination and person-centred care among patients with chronic conditions in Slovenian family medicine practices as part of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Patient-Reported Indicator Surveys (PaRIS) initiative. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 70 participating family medicine practices. Patients aged ≥ 45 years were recruited randomly. Two questionnaires, the Primary Care Practice Questionnaire (PCPQ) and the Primary Care Service User Questionnaire (PCUQ), were employed to assess care coordination and person-centered care. Data was analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Results The mean score of coordination of care was 8.1 (with a standard deviation of 3.7), with a median of 8.0 (IQR 5–11), on a scale 0–15. The mean score for person-centred care was 16.6 (with a standard deviation of 4.9), with a median of 17 (IQR 13–21), on a scale 0–24. Older age, regular exercise, rural residence, and discussions on lifestyle with healthcare professionals significantly predicted better care coordination and person-centered care. Lifestyle discussions had the strongest impact on both care coordination and person-centered care. Male sex and higher income were linked to better care coordination. Provider-level factors showed no significance. Conclusions Patient-level characteristics, particularly discussion about a healthy lifestyle, are crucial for enhancing patient-reported care coordination and person-centered care.