Access to inflammatory bowel disease speciality care: the primary healthcare physician perspective.

BACKGROUND

There is little literature related to access to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care that incorporates the perspective of key system stakeholders, such as primary healthcare providers (PHCP), despite their clear and integral role in facilitating access.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to identify barriers to referring patients to speciality IBD care as perceived by referring PHCP. In particular, we sought to understand PHCP satisfaction with the current IBD specialist referral system, as well as indicators of geographic variance to access.

METHODS

A population-based survey was mailed out to currently practising PHCPs who have referred or who are currently referring patients to IBD speciality care in Nova Scotia (Canada). Descriptive statistics and multivariate analyses were performed. Qualitative comments were themed using framework analysis to identify key barriers.

RESULTS

The majority of PHCP (57%) were dissatisfied with the current referral process due to long patient wait times and perceived system inefficiency. Key areas of geographic variance in access included access to speciality care in the community and patient wait times. PHCPs suggested ideas to improve access including increased gastroenterologist supply, particularly in rural areas, and the creation of a provincial centralized referral and triage process.

CONCLUSIONS

PHCPs play an important role in identifying and managing patients with IBD in partnership with gastroenterologists. This study identifies key PHCP perceived barriers that may prevent patients from accessing speciality IBD care. Understanding and addressing barriers to access from multiple stakeholder perspectives, including PHCPs, has the potential to support informed system redesign and overcome access inequities.

Primary healthcare providers (e.g. family doctors and nurse practitioners) play an important role in connecting patients with speciality health care. Patients with digestive diseases, such as inflammatory bowel diseases (e.g. Crohn’s and colitis), may rely on primary healthcare providers to connect them with inflammatory bowel disease specialists (e.g. gastroenterologists). Past research on access to inflammatory bowel disease care has focused on the patient perspective; however, almost no research has focused on how primary healthcare providers perceive access to inflammatory bowel disease speciality care, despite their important role in facilitating access. This paper focuses on what 155 primary healthcare providers in Nova Scotia (Canada) perceive as key barriers for their patients when accessing speciality Inflammatory bowel disease care. This paper also presents potential improvements to the referral process and healthcare system, as suggested by primary healthcare providers, which may improve global access to inflammatory bowel disease care.

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