Realising the Potential of Primary Health Care
The rapid spread of COVID-19 added urgency to the need to address long-standing pressures
on health systems, linked to growing citizens’ expectations, population ageing and
more complex and costly health care needs. As the first point of contact, primary
health care that provides comprehensive, continuous, and co-ordinated care is key
to boosting preventive care, treating those who need care, and helping people become
more active in managing their own health. It has the potential to improve health system
efficiency and health outcomes for people across socio-economic levels, and make health
systems people-centred. This report examines primary health care across OECD countries
before the COVID-19 pandemic, and draws attention to how primary health care is not
living up to its full potential. Doing things differently – through new models of
organising services, better co-ordination among providers, better use of digital technology,
and better use of resources and incentives – helps to improve care, reduce the need
for hospitalisations, and mitigate health inequalities. This report identifies key
policy challenges that OECD countries need to address to realise the full potential
of primary health care, and reviews progress and innovations towards transforming
primary health care.
Available from May 30, 2020
In series:OECD Health Policy Studiesview more titles