The role of the family physician in home care. A discussion paper.

2000 Dec.
The College of Family Physicians of Canada.

Home care is not new to Canada. What is new is the rapid shift of acute care to the home setting. Increasingly, complex medical interventions are being transferred out of the hospital into the home without adequate consideration of medical management of the patient. In many parts of the country, the family physician has been largely excluded from home care planning and implementation. This is unfortunate as family doctors provide a large proportion of health care services in the community and are an important potential resource to enhance the effectiveness of home care.

This paper is a background document that sets the stage for longer-term examination by the CFPC of medical management in the home. Its purpose is to explore some of the many issues and options related to the role of the family physician and the growing need for medical management in the home. The paper is based on a literature search, interviews with physicians, and experiences in Canada and other jurisdictions, including Great Britain, New Zealand and the United States.