Author Description

This comprehensive work provides a lucid examination of the difficult problems that arise with the implementation of effective primary care. The book has four purposes: to help practitioners of primary care understand what they do and why; to provide a basis for the training of primary care practitioners; to stimulate research that will provide a more substantive basis for improvements in primary care; and to help policy makers understand the difficulties and challenges of primary care and its importance. In addition to discussing systems of primary care and alternative ways of evaluating them, the author addresses important issues such as practitioner-patient communication, information systems and medical records, referral processes, personnel, managed care, financing, quality assessment and community orientation. This unique volume provides a clear and valuable assessment of the basic concepts, issues and challenges in this increasingly important field.