Understanding and addressing changing administrative workload in primary care in Canada: protocol for a mixed-method...

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Primary Care Medicine
• Health Policy Analysis

Background:

• Canadians face challenges accessing primary care, coinciding with high stress levels among primary care providers.
• A growing per-capita supply of primary care providers contrasts with decreasing service availability, indicating a critical gap.
• Increased administrative responsibilities and the assumption of inpatient services by primary care teams may contribute to reduced access.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify changes in service volume requiring primary care coordination in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
• To qualitatively explore how administrative workload has evolved for primary care providers and staff.
• To identify key issues and develop practical strategies through deliberative dialogues with stakeholders.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods approach combining quantitative administrative data analysis (2001/2002-2021/2022) and qualitative interviews.
• Analysis of service use data (counts, rates per capita, per provider, per service).
• Reflexive thematic analysis of interviews with family physicians, nurse practitioners, and administrative staff, followed by deliberative dialogue events.

Main Results:

• Quantitative analysis will reveal shifts in service demands impacting primary care workload.
• Qualitative analysis will provide insights into the lived experiences of primary care providers regarding administrative changes.
• Deliberative dialogues will synthesize findings to propose actionable solutions for enhancing primary care access and provider well-being.

Conclusions:

• Understanding the evolving nature of primary care services and administrative demands is crucial for addressing access issues.
• Identifying and implementing practical strategies is essential to support primary care providers and improve patient access.
• This research aims to inform policy and practice for a more sustainable and accessible primary care system in Canada.