Team model in North Karelian health district Siun sote improves access to primary care

Background The joint municipal authority Siun sote in Northern Karelia has traditionally struggled to provide timely access to primary care. In December 2019 Siun sote decided to pilot a team-based service model with the goal of achieving the so-called Quadruple Aim: providing good customer experience, personnel experience and quality and effectiveness of care, and increasing employee productivity. The team-based model is based on lean management, while also supporting the chronic care model, and an open access service development framework.

Methods By March 2021 the model had been implemented and further developed in nine health centres in the Siun sote region. Results from three health centres were acquired from Siun sote information systems one year after the start of implementation.

Results As a result of the programme, access to primary care improved significantly, while customer experience was consistently maintained at a good level and personnel experience was maintained at a moderate level throughout the duration. Mixed initial results have been observed for continuity of care.

Conclusions Research on different team-based models in primary care is scarce and is in need of further exploration. Access to care was improved in Siun sote, with good customer experience and consistently moderate levels reported for personnel experience. This team-based primary care model has yielded promising initial results towards meeting the quadruple aim challenge.

Elisa Jokelin, Raimo Joro, Riitta Myyry, Johanna Ahvalo, Katja Ahonen, Anssi Koponen, Jussi Malinen, Anne Autio, Henna Korte, Kaisa Pere, Erja Mustonen, Paulus Torkki

Elisa Jokelin

M.D., Specialist in Primary Health Care, Lean Coach (LPP), Doctoral Researcher

Medielli Oy and University of Helsinki