Related Experiment Videos
Epidemiology and practice management: an example of community-oriented primary care
P A Nutting1, J Nagle, T Dudley
1Division of Primary Care, US Public Health Service, Rockville, MD.
Family Medicine
|March 1, 1991
Summary
Community-Oriented Primary Care (COPC) can be applied to family practice by defining the practice population as all household members of active patients. This feasible approach identifies unaddressed health issues in diverse settings, improving care and training.
Area of Science:
- Primary Care Medicine
- Epidemiology
- Family Medicine Training
Background:
- Community-Oriented Primary Care (COPC) applies epidemiology to primary care.
- Developing COPC in family practice is challenging due to defining target populations across varied settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the application of COPC principles to a defined practice population in a residency setting.
- To assess the feasibility and applicability of this COPC approach in family practice.
Main Methods:
- Defined the practice population as all household members of active patients within a residency practice.
- Applied COPC principles to this defined household population.
Main Results:
- The approach proved feasible and applicable across different practice settings.
- Identified numerous health and healthcare problems that were previously unnoticed.
- Demonstrated potential for improving patient care and identifying actionable health issues.
Conclusions:
- Applying COPC to the entire patient household is a viable strategy for family practice.
- This method enhances the identification of health needs and improves the training of family physicians.