Community-oriented primary care: an examination of the US experience

Community-oriented primary care (COPC) represents a specific variation on the general primary care model. Seven case studies from vastly different health care settings were examined and this report describes the diversity of expression of the principles of COPC observed. The results suggest that COPC is not limited to publicly funded programs, but can find expression in the private sector as well. The organization of financing and the lack of feasible quantitative tools hinder the full development of the model.