Concept of integrated health care in primary outpatient care in Bulgaria

General Medicine, 2024, 26(5), 60-67.

T. Vekov¹, S. Dzhambazov², V. Belcheva³, M. Mitev¹

¹ MHAT Heart and Brain – Pleven
² Medical University – Pleven
³ Medical College, Trakia University – Stara Zagora

Abstract. The aim of this study is to define the benefits for patients in primary outpatient care and to build an organizational model for their provision. The way primary outpatient care is currently organized does not allow the expected patient benefit to be achieved nor communicated to the public. There is a need to reorganize the primary outpatient care in Bulgaria into a structure based on patient benefit, which focuses on the needs of each specific cohort of patients across the treatment cycle, and which represents a model for truly integrated outpatient care. The transformation of primary outpatient care into an organization aligned with the principles of patient benefit-based healthcare involves at least six key elements: 1) definition of patient needs; 2) grouping of patients with similar health care needs; 3) creation of a team organization in the primary outpatient care practices; 4) measurement of patient benefit from health care; 5) development of a payment model for primary outpatient care that incentivizes action and organization towards increasing patient benefit; 6) integration of the primary outpatient care and the specialized outpatient care.

Key words: primary outpatient care, building an organizational model, patient benefits

Address for correspondence: Proff. Toni Vekov, DSc, e-mail: t.vekov.mu.pleven@abv.bg