Grant: Project Grant

Primary care in Canada is struggling. Researchers have studied what happens when governments make changes to how providers are paid or how health services are delivered. However, almost no attention has been paid to the day-to-day management of primary care practices. This study will address this gap by exploring primary care 'practice management' in British Columbia, Ontario, and Nova Scotia. Our definition of 'practice management' includes the day-to-day operational functions related to infrastructure, staffing, IT, finance, and quality and safety. We will identify how primary care practices are being managed and, importantly, opportunities for improvement. Our objectives include creating a list of all management resources that are available to help primary care practices; identifying best practices for and challenges to primary care practice management; and building management resources and making policy and training recommendations in support of stronger practice management. We will achieve these objectives by reviewing existing resources (for example, those by the College of Family Physicians of Canada) for managing a practice; doing a survey of practice managers about current approaches to primary care practice management; interviewing key informants (e.g., experts who provide resources) and practice managers about primary care management best practices and barriers; conducting case studies of individual primary care practices; and meeting with key stakeholders to review findings and make recommendations for policy and new business management resources. We expect our study outcomes will help to strengthen primary care practice management.