Browsing by Author "Foo, Chuan De"

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    Developing integration among stakeholders in the primary care networks of Singapore: a qualitative study.
    (BMC health services research, 2022-06-15) Surendran, Shilpa; Foo, Chuan De; Matchar, David Bruce; Ansah, John Pastor; Car, Josip; Koh, Gerald Choon Huat

    Background

    Integrating healthcare services across and between the different health system levels can be achieved in a few ways; however, examining the social side of integration is essential and challenging. This paper explores the concept of integration perceived by general practitioners (GPs) and primary care network (PCN) representatives from the regional health systems (RHS) in a GP-RHS PCN and their perceived partnership success.

    Methods

    In this study, we explored three GP-RHS PCNs in Singapore. We used a qualitative research design and, overall, performed 17 semi-structured in-depth interviews with GPs (n = 11) and PCN representatives (n = 6) from the RHS. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. We conducted thematic analysis to inductively identify themes from the data. Singer's conceptual model of integration types was used as guiding principles to derive relevant and salient themes for integration.

    Results

    GPs and the RHS perceived the concept of integration through a series of interrelated strategies. Within the normative dimension, a sense of urgency motivated GPs to integrate improvements into their general practice. Participants perceived teamwork and relational climate as appropriate enablers for achieving interpersonal integration in a primary care partnership. While developing a trusted relationship was a perceived success of this partnership across the network, developing camaraderie and gaining knowledge in chronic disease management through the components of functional integration was a perceived success at an individual general practice level. The data also revealed some operational challenges within the structural dimension and some inabilities of the PCN to achieve complete process integration.

    Conclusions

    Our study points to multi-faceted integration, comprising various forms that need to be manifested at all levels of care to achieve coordinated, seamless, and comprehensive care for patients suffering from chronic conditions. The present iteration of the PCN has been shown to offer integration at a level that warrants praise but still requires structural and process integration improvement.
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    Healthier SG: Singapore's multi-year strategy to transform primary healthcare.
    (The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific, 2023-08) Foo, Chuan De; Chia, Hui Xiang; Teo, Ken Wah; Farwin, Aysha; Hashim, Jumana; Choon-Huat Koh, Gerald; Matchar, David Bruce; Legido-Quigley, Helena; Yap, Jason CH
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    Perceived facilitators and barriers to chronic disease management in primary care networks of Singapore: a qualitative study.
    (BMJ open, 2021-05-04) Foo, Chuan De; Surendran, Shilpa; Tam, Chen Hee; Ho, Elaine; Matchar, David Bruce; Car, Josip; Koh, Gerald Choon Huat

    Objective

    The increasing chronic disease burden has placed tremendous strain on tertiary healthcare resources in most countries, necessitating a shift in chronic disease management from tertiary to primary care providers. The Primary Care Network (PCN) policy was promulgated as a model of care to organise private general practitioners (GPs) into groups to provide GPs with resources to anchor patients with chronic conditions with them in the community. As PCN is still in its embryonic stages, there is a void in research regarding its ability to empower GPs to manage patients with chronic conditions effectively. This qualitative study aims to explore the facilitators and barriers for the management of patients with chronic conditions by GPs enrolled in PCN.

    Design

    We conducted 30 semistructured interviews with GPs enrolled in a PCN followed by a thematic analysis of audio transcripts until data saturation was achieved.

    Setting

    Singapore.

    Results

    Our results suggest that PCNs facilitated GPs to more effectively manage patients through (1) provision of ancillary services such as diabetic foot screening, diabetic retinal photography and nurse counselling to permit a 'one-stop-shop', (2) systematic monitoring of process and clinical outcome indicators through a chronic disease registry (CDR) to promote accountability for patients' health outcomes and (3) funding streams for PCNs to hire additional manpower to oversee operations and to reimburse GPs for extended consultations. Barriers include high administrative load in maintaining the CDR due to the lack of a smart electronic clinic management system and financial gradient faced by patients seeking services from private GPs which incur higher out-of-pocket expenses than public primary healthcare institutions.

    Conclusion

    PCNs demonstrate great promise in empowering enrolled GPs to manage patients with chronic conditions. However, barriers will need to be addressed to ensure the viability of PCNs in managing more patients in the face of an ageing population.
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    Primary Care Networks and Starfield's 4Cs: A Case for Enhanced Chronic Disease Management.
    (International journal of environmental research and public health, 2021-03-12) Foo, Chuan De; Surendran, Shilpa; Jimenez, Geronimo; Ansah, John Pastor; Matchar, David Bruce; Koh, Gerald Choon Huat
    The primary care network (PCN) was implemented as a healthcare delivery model which organises private general practitioners (GPs) into groups and furnished with a certain level of resources for chronic disease management. A secondary qualitative analysis was conducted with data from an earlier study exploring facilitators and barriers GPs enrolled in PCN's face in chronic disease management. The objective of this study is to map features of PCN to Starfield's "4Cs" framework. The "4Cs" of primary care-comprehensiveness, first contact access, coordination and continuity-offer high-quality design options for chronic disease management. Interview transcripts of GPs (n = 30) from the original study were purposefully selected. Provision of ancillary services, manpower, a chronic disease registry and extended operating hours of GP practices demonstrated PCN's empowering features that fulfil the "4Cs". On the contrary, operational challenges such as the lack of an integrated electronic medical record and disproportionate GP payment structures limit PCNs from maximising the "4Cs". However, the enabling features mentioned above outweighs the shortfalls in all important aspects of delivering optimal chronic disease care. Therefore, even though PCN is in its early stage of development, it has shown to be well poised to steer GPs towards enhanced chronic disease management.
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    Reply to Ngoh et al. Comment on "Surendran et al. The Missed Opportunity of Patient-Centered Medical Homes to Thrive in an Asian Context. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 1817".
    (International journal of environmental research and public health, 2022-04-13) Surendran, Shilpa; Foo, Chuan De; Tam, Chen Hee; Ho, Elaine Qiao Ying; Matchar, David Bruce; Car, Josip; Koh, Gerald Choon Huat
    We carefully read the comment [...].
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    The Missed Opportunity of Patient-Centered Medical Homes to Thrive in an Asian Context.
    (International journal of environmental research and public health, 2021-02-13) Surendran, Shilpa; Foo, Chuan De; Tam, Chen Hee; Ho, Elaine Qiao Ying; Matchar, David Bruce; Car, Josip; Koh, Gerald Choon Huat
    In recent years, there is growing interest internationally to implement patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs), and Singapore is no exception. However, studies understanding the influence of contextual policy factors on the implementation of PCMHs are limited. We conducted 10 semi-structured in-depth interviews with general practitioners working in seven out of the nine PCMHs. Audio recordings were transcribed and analyzed by two study team members in NVivo 12 Software using grounded theory techniques. Power dynamics between the stakeholders and lack of shared decision-making among them in selecting the locale of the PCMH and formulating the practice fee and pharmacy structure were the key factors which negatively affected the implementation of PCMHs on a larger scale. Over time, lack of funding to hire dedicated staff to transfer patients and misalignment of various stakeholders' interest to other right-siting programs also resulted in low number of patients with chronic conditions and revenue. Countries seeking to implement a successful PCMH may benefit from building trust and relationship between stakeholders, engaging in shared decision-making, ongoing cost-efficiency efforts, and formulating a clear delineation of responsibilities between stakeholders. For a healthcare delivery model to succeed in the primary care landscape, policies should be developed keeping mind the realities of primary care practice.