Understanding Rural Patients' Perspectives on Patient Care Teams

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Rural Health
• Primary Care

Background:

• A critical shortage of primary care clinicians necessitates innovative care models like team-based care (TBC).
• Limited research exists on TBC from the patient perspective, particularly in rural settings.
• Understanding patient preferences is crucial for effective TBC implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore rural patient preferences for the composition of their current and ideal primary health care teams.
• To identify key provider types patients value in a primary care setting.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous online survey was administered to rural residents in British Columbia.
• The survey collected demographic data and information on current and ideal health care team composition.
• Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey data.

Main Results:

• Four hundred ninety individuals responded, with most being female, over 40, White, and holding a postsecondary diploma.
• Current teams often included primary care physicians, alternative medicine practitioners, and allied health professionals.
• Ideal teams were strongly favored to include primary care physicians, followed by alternative medicine practitioners and allied health professionals.
• A significant majority of respondents preferred teams with three or more provider categories and expressed high likelihood of affiliating with a primary health care team clinic.

Conclusions:

• Rural patient preferences indicate a desire for multidisciplinary primary health care teams.
• Incorporating alternative medical practitioners and allied health professionals into team-based care models can potentially enhance healthcare access for rural populations.
• Future TBC models should consider patient-centered team compositions to improve engagement and access.