Continuity of care is a concept that is concerned with the quality of care over time. It is the process by which the patient and their physician-led care team are cooperatively involved in ongoing healthcare management towards a shared goal. Continuity of care is a hallmark and primary objective of family medicine and is consistent with quality patient care provided through a medical home. It is facilitated by a physician-led, team-based approach to healthcare, which reduces fragmentation of care and improves patient safety and quality of care.
Traditionally, continuity of care is idealized in the patients experience of a continuous caring relationship with an identified healthcare professional. However, as patients healthcare needs can now only rarely be met by a single professional, multidimensional models of continuity have had to be developed to accommodate the possibility of achieving both ideals simultaneously. Continuity of care may, therefore, be viewed from the perspective of either patient or provider.
Continuity in the experience of care relates conceptually to patients satisfaction with both the interpersonal aspects of care and the coordination of that care. Experienced continuity may be valued in its own right. In contrast, continuity in the delivery of care cannot be evaluated solely through patients experiences and is related to important aspects of services such as case-management and multidisciplinary team working.
Continuity of care is a crucial aspect of primary care, and it has been shown to improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and increase patient satisfaction. However, cooperation between caregivers to achieve continuity of care is deficient, despite it being one of the core qualities of primary care. The descriptions, dimensions, and concepts of continuity of care vary in the literature, with several converging and overlapping terms used, such as integration of care, patient-centered care, case management, and coordination of care.
