International classification of primary care

Area of Science:

• Primary Care Research
• Health Informatics
• Medical Classification Systems

Background:

• The 1978 Alma-Ata Conference highlighted the need for primary care to achieve "Health for all by year 2000."
• A lack of standardized classification hindered primary care analysis and research.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) initiated the development of a Reason for Encounter Classification (RFEC).

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a comprehensive and practical classification system for primary care.
• To create an instrument for analyzing reasons for encounter in primary care settings.
• To establish the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) for research and medical records.

Main Methods:

• A WHO Working Party developed a Reason for Encounter Classification (RFEC).
• A feasibility study involving 138 primary care professionals across nine countries was conducted in 1983.
• The RFEC was translated into five languages, and a total of 100,452 reasons for encounter were recorded.
• The WONCA/WHO Classification of Health Problems in Primary Care was integrated into the final version.

Main Results:

• The feasibility study significantly refined the initial RFEC proposal.
• The International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) was finalized and accepted in 1984.
• ICPC features a biaxial structure with organ/organ systems, General, Mental, and Social chapters on one axis, and Complaints, Process, and Diagnosis on the other.
• An alphanumeric coding system is utilized within ICPC.

Conclusions:

• The International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC) is a comprehensive, simple, and practical classification system.
• ICPC is suitable for use in medical records and various primary care research applications.
• The development of ICPC addresses the need for a standardized tool in primary care analysis.