The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Personal continuity of care is a core value of general practice. It is increasingly threatened by societal and healthcare changes. ⋯ Personal continuity is associated with practice and patient characteristics. The dose-dependent associations suggest a causal relationship and, complemented by GPs' views, may provide practical targets to improve personal continuity directly.
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Integrated care pathways can help to avoid unnecessary admissions to hospital and improve the overall quality of care for frail older patients. Although these integrated care pathways should be coordinated by GPs their level of commitment may vary. ⋯ The level of interest in the PAERPA ICP for frail older adults varied widely among GPs. These findings suggest that commitment to an integrated care pathway could be increased by customising the recruitment strategy as a function of the GP's profile.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the provision of health care and expanded telehealth consultations. ⋯ New methods are called for to ensure access to general practice for patients who are vulnerable during a pandemic. The potential of telehealth consultations should be further investigated.