Question

List and describe the four components of primary care according to the Institute of Medicine.

Answer 1

The four components of primary care can be discussed as follows:

- Addressing the problems of patients in the most appropriate way-

Primary care focuses on addressing and solving all health problems that are brought to the health care units. It has a large capacity to address problems of patients in a large number in the most convenient manner. The patients get a guide for any health issue symptom they see about how it is to be treated. The referrals and coordination of services from others is also taken care of. Thus primary care helps them to solve this dilemma of theirs and help them deal with the health issue in the best possible manner.

- Guiding patients for the use of health care system-

The patients usually are not aware of the illness, its effects or treatment. Seeing the symptoms leave them in a dilemma about how to take it further. The primary care clinicians diagnose and manage the patients' illness in the most efficient way. They understand the local health care that is being provided and if there is a need for a navigation. Many times patients know about the illness but are not aware of the best resources available. Thus primary care helps in guiding them through those services effectively. This may involve steps like referring the patients to other specialists, sorting out any advice that is conflicting by the clinicians and arranging and looking after all the care provided in the whole procedure of treatment.

- building a patient and clinician relationship with continuity and accountability-

The primary care clinicians have a continuous ongoing relationship with the patients which help them to know the patient history and treat them in the long term. The patients in such cases can also feel comfortable to open up to the clinicians for counselling or advice. The issues in the patients' history can be related to or influenced by each other. Hence having a detail of the patient's history is important and that comes with a continuous process of treating the patients with the primary care.

Accountability involves the responsibility that the clinicians hold legally and morally while treating their patients. It also covers the obligation that the clinicians hold to maintain records of the patients for an ongoing process of treating them and providing them with the care. The information about their illnesses, allergies, treatments and cure will help in quality treatment which the clinician is accountable for.

- Detecting and preventing illnesses early-

The primary care does not only cover the treatment of any disease but also takes measures to detect and prevent diseases beforehand. They detect the disease that can come from the early symptoms and use effective measures to mitigate it before effecting the person. This helps in lowering the costs of the patients and priding them a healthy and happy life which builds trust and helps in continuous relationships of the clinician and patient.