Which of the following best describes continuity of care?
a. It involves only clients with acute physical conditions.
b. It involves client-centered high-quality care across clinical settings.
c. It should focus on episodic hospital care of seriously ill clients.
d. Relational, informational, and functional are its key components.
ANS: B
Continuity of care (COC) is the term used to describe a multidimensional longitudinal construct in health care that emphasizes seamless provision, and coordination of client-centered quality care across clinical settings. Health care systems organized around acute, episodic care no longer suffice as a primary service model. The complexity of contemporary health care requires a different care process to match new health realities. There are several reasons: demographics of the population with greater ethnic and racial diversity, longer life spans, serious economic challenges, and health disparities associated with social determinants of health, globalization, and significant skilled provider shortages, most notably physicians and nurses. Technical and scientific advances have revolutionized the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of acute illness. As people live longer, however, there is a higher incidence of chronic conditions requiring an array of supportive health care services. For these reasons, and more, focus on care provision has shifted from the hospital to the community and a public health emphasis. The three key features of relational, informational, and managerial continuity provide a conceptual framework for study and application of COC strategies.
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