The Contribution of Family Medicine to Improving Health Systems: A Guidebook from the World Organization of Family Doctors

ISBN-13: 9781846195549 / Angielski / Miękka / 2013 / 322 str.

Michael Kidd

Opis

"This guidebook systematically analyses the contribution of family medicine to highquality primary health care in addressing the challenges faced by current health systems, and provides options for moving forward. It serves as a pragmatic guide to potential strategies for putting in place family care teams which effectively contribute to health sector development within a variety of contexts." From the Foreword by Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General, World Health Organization ..".the quest to maintain and improve the health and well-being of people throughout the world is enriching. It adds substantial meaning to the lives of those who contribute to a process that joins the human family in a common undertaking based on intrinsic respect for the dignity of each individual. The roots of this process run as deep as humanity's oldest efforts to alleviate suffering, yet they are nourished by the approaches described in the following pages that draw on current developments in education and patient care, recent epidemiological research, and ongoing examples of successful implementation among diverse communities throughout the world." From the Executive Summary The much anticipated second edition of this guidebook reveals ways in which family medicine can help countries throughout the world maintain and improve health and well-being by developing a more productive, coordinated and cost-effective approach to health care. It describes: - the rationale for structuring health systems to be more responsive to the needs of people - a vision of optimal health services delivery based on primary health care - challenges to achieving this vision - family medicine's response to these challenges - strategies for developing and strengthening family practice within countries. It provides practical inspirational reading for family doctors and family medicine academics, health care managers, policy makers and shapers, and public health and primary health care academics and professionals who will benefit greatly from implementing the flexible, local level options presented to the benefit of the people of their communities and their nations.

Spis treści

Foreword. Executive summary. Glossary. List of contributors. Chapter 1: Meeting people's health needs. Identifying people's current and evolving health needs. Responding to people's health needs. Meeting the challenges and convincing the leadership. Chapter 2: Improving health systems. Values of health systems. Goals of health systems. Functions of health systems. Trends affecting health service delivery. Challenges to optimal health service delivery. Meeting the challenges through primary health care. Strategies for implementing primary health care. Chapter 3: Family doctors in health systems. The nature of family medicine. Family doctors' contributions to health care. Family doctors as effective clinicians. Family doctors as health care coordinators. Family doctors as leaders, managers and supervisors. Chapter 4: Education and professional development. What is family medicine education and training? Why is family medicine education and training different? How should family medicine education and training be implemented? Family medicine teaching program. Transitioning from education to practice. Chapter 5: Creating a supportive environment for optimal family practice. Promoting positive relationships. Establishing professional organizations for family doctors. Financing primary health care services and family doctors. Improving access to primary care. Supporting primary care research. Enhancing quality of care and outcomes. Moving ahead. Chapter 6: Family medicine in lower- and upper-middle income countries. The Brazilian Unified Health System: primary health care in action. Promoting universal primary health services in China through general practice reforms. Family practice progress and prospects in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean. Family medicine and community orientation as a new approach of quality primary care in Thailand. Chapter 7: The African family physician: development of family medicine in Africa in the 21st century. Annexes. Acknowledgements. Index.

O autorze

MICHAEL KIDD President, World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) Executive Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, Flinders University, Australia.