Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, Équipe soins primaires et prévention, Villejuif, France
2
Département hospitalier d’épidémiologie et de santé publique, Hôpital Raymond Poincaré, Assistance publique – Hôpitaux de Paris, Garches, France
Abstract
Background
Most OECD countries are currently facing the challenges of the health transition, the aging of their populations and the increase in chronic diseases. Effective and comprehensive primary healthcare services are considered essential for establishing an equitable, and costeffective healthcare system. Developing care coordination and, on a broader scale, care integration, is a guarantee of quality healthcare delivery. The development of healthcare systems at the meso-level supports this ambition and results in a process of territorial structuring of primary healthcare. In France, the Health Territorial and Professional Communities (HTPC) constitute mesolevel organizations in which healthcare professionals from the same territory gather. We conducted a study to determine, in a qualitative step, the key elements of the territorial structuring of primary healthcare in France and, then, to develop, in a quantitative step, a typology of this structuring.
Methods
A sequential-exploratory mixed-method study with a qualitative step using a multiple case approach and a quantitative step as a Hierarchical Clustering on Principal Components (HCPC) from a Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA).
Results
A total of 7 territories were qualitatively explored. Territorial structuring appears to depend on: past collaborations at the micro-level, meso-level coordination among healthcare professionals and multiprofessional structures, diversity of independent professionals, demographic dynamics attracting young professionals, and public health investment through local health contracts. The typology identifies 4 clusters of mainland French territories based on their level of structuring: under or unstructured (38.6%), with potential for structuring (34.7%), in the way for structuring (25.3%) and already structured territories (1.4%).
Conclusion
Interest in territorial structuring aligns with challenges in meso-level healthcare organization and the need for integrated care. Typologies of territorial structuring should be used to understand its impact on access, care quality, and medical ressources.
Keywords
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