INTERACTION OF HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS: PHYSICIANS’ SURVEY OUTCOMES

Abstract

Significance. Strengthening providers integration to improve health indicators is an important direction of healthcare development. Purpose. To evaluate the degree of providers interaction and continuity of health care. Material and methods. Forms of interaction between health services, medical organizations and social services have been determined, its prevalence is considered as a characteristic of the level of interaction. The sociological survey of physicians was conducted in October 2020 to identify their opinion about the interaction forms. The responses were compared with the results of a similar survey in 2012. Results. Comparison of the 2012 survey and 2020 survey suggests some improvements in interaction between district physicians and outpatient specialists, however its level is hardly adequate. Interaction between district physicians and emergency care providers in polyclinics has improved. Interaction between polyclinic and hospital physicians before and after hospital admission is very limited and has deteriorated over the period under study. The level of outpatient physicians’ awareness of emergency calls and hospital admissions of their patients is low. Interaction between polyclinics and hospitals on the one hand, and rehabilitation units and social care providers on the other hand, is also low. Information on the location and volumes of care provided to patients is still inaccessible for most physicians. This limits continuity of care. Conclusion. The study shows that the Russian healthcare system remains fragmental. This is the result of low priority of integrative activities, as well as low involvement of health managers in these activities. Scope of application. The need for specifying activities aimed at improving health providers integration as a special subject of health policy has been substantiated. The results can be used by health policy decision-makers, health managers and health professionals.