CONT_01EngagingContinuity of Care
Measure and Discuss Continuity of Care in the Practice Team
Summary
Track and review continuity of care metrics, particularly for Focus Patients, to identify and address fragmented care patterns.
Supporting information
Continuity of care benefits Focus Patients, particularly those with complex needs, mental health conditions, and who have experienced trauma. Measuring continuity helps identify where relationship-based care is breaking down.
Approaches to implementation:
- Calculate continuity indices for different patient groups, with focus on your Focus Patients
- Share data in team meetings to raise awareness of current continuity levels
- Identify specific groups or individuals with who would benefit most from enhanced continuity
- Discuss practical barriers to continuity and develop team solutions
- Set improvement targets specifically for Focus Patient continuity
Key benefits: Makes invisible patterns of fragmented care visible to the whole team, enables targeted improvements for those who most need relational continuity, and reinforces the value of therapeutic relationships.
Resources
- Measuring Continuity of Care in General Practice (Health Foundation)
- RCGP Continuity of Care Resource
Links open on other organisations' websites.