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Improving access, mixed continuity: effects of multidisciplinary teams on primary health-care in Finland – a quasi-experimental study.

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Title: Improving access, mixed continuity: effects of multidisciplinary teams on primary health-care in Finland – a quasi-experimental study.
Authors: Jokelin, Elisa (AUTHOR), Piirainen, Laura (AUTHOR), Mustonen, Erja (AUTHOR), Torkki, Paulus (AUTHOR)
Source: Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care. Dec2025, Vol. 43 Issue 4, p745-758. 14p.
Subjects: Health services accessibility, Nurses, Medical quality control, Human services programs, Research funding, Occupational roles, T-test (Statistics), Primary health care, Clinical trials, Leadership, Benchmarking (Management), Continuum of care, Goal (Psychology), Descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney U Test, Research methodology, Medical appointments, Quality assurance, Hospital health promotion programs, Health care teams
Geographic Terms: Finland
Abstract: Objective: The multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach in primary care is a relatively recent innovation, developed over the past 15 years. There is limited data on MDTs' effects on Quadruple Aim (QA) goals. The object of this study is to evaluate the implementation of a novel MDT from 2021 to 2023 and its impact on access and continuity of care, compared to an established model. Future research will explore its effects on staff satisfaction, costs, and health outcomes. Design, setting and patients: This quasi-experimental study compares five intervention health centers with three control centers. It includes all primary care patients from 2021 to 2023, presenting data on access and continuity before and after the intervention. Intervention: Nurse-only consultations were replaced with a multidisciplinary nurse-physician model to address issues during initial contact more effectively. Nurses also took on the role of case managers, enhancing relational continuity. Lean daily visual management with continuous improvement, strategic goal setting, and coaching leadership style were implemented. Main outcome measures: Access was measured using the 'third available appointment' (T3) metric, and continuity with the COC-index, both for physicians only. Results: Access improved at all intervention centers, with T3 reduced from 90 to 1.125–4.75 days, while controls remained at 90 days. COC improved at three intervention centers but declined at two, with declines also observed at control centers. Conclusion: The novel MDT enhanced primary care access compared to the traditional model. However, relying solely on T3 may be insufficient for evaluating effectiveness. Mixed results in continuity underscore the need for further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Label: Title
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  Data: Improving access, mixed continuity: effects of multidisciplinary teams on primary health-care in Finland – a quasi-experimental study.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jokelin%2C+Elisa%22">Jokelin, Elisa</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Piirainen%2C+Laura%22">Piirainen, Laura</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mustonen%2C+Erja%22">Mustonen, Erja</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Torkki%2C+Paulus%22">Torkki, Paulus</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Scandinavian+Journal+of+Primary+Health+Care%22">Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 43 Issue 4, p745-758. 14p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+services+accessibility%22">Health services accessibility</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nurses%22">Nurses</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+quality+control%22">Medical quality control</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Human+services+programs%22">Human services programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Occupational+roles%22">Occupational roles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22T-test+%28Statistics%29%22">T-test (Statistics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Primary+health+care%22">Primary health care</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Clinical+trials%22">Clinical trials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Leadership%22">Leadership</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Benchmarking+%28Management%29%22">Benchmarking (Management)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Continuum+of+care%22">Continuum of care</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Goal+%28Psychology%29%22">Goal (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mann+Whitney+U+Test%22">Mann Whitney U Test</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+methodology%22">Research methodology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+appointments%22">Medical appointments</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Quality+assurance%22">Quality assurance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hospital+health+promotion+programs%22">Hospital health promotion programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+care+teams%22">Health care teams</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Finland%22">Finland</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Objective: The multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach in primary care is a relatively recent innovation, developed over the past 15 years. There is limited data on MDTs' effects on Quadruple Aim (QA) goals. The object of this study is to evaluate the implementation of a novel MDT from 2021 to 2023 and its impact on access and continuity of care, compared to an established model. Future research will explore its effects on staff satisfaction, costs, and health outcomes. Design, setting and patients: This quasi-experimental study compares five intervention health centers with three control centers. It includes all primary care patients from 2021 to 2023, presenting data on access and continuity before and after the intervention. Intervention: Nurse-only consultations were replaced with a multidisciplinary nurse-physician model to address issues during initial contact more effectively. Nurses also took on the role of case managers, enhancing relational continuity. Lean daily visual management with continuous improvement, strategic goal setting, and coaching leadership style were implemented. Main outcome measures: Access was measured using the 'third available appointment' (T3) metric, and continuity with the COC-index, both for physicians only. Results: Access improved at all intervention centers, with T3 reduced from 90 to 1.125–4.75 days, while controls remained at 90 days. COC improved at three intervention centers but declined at two, with declines also observed at control centers. Conclusion: The novel MDT enhanced primary care access compared to the traditional model. However, relying solely on T3 may be insufficient for evaluating effectiveness. Mixed results in continuity underscore the need for further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=189410512
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/02813432.2025.2502658
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 14
        StartPage: 745
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Health services accessibility
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Nurses
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical quality control
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Human services programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Occupational roles
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: T-test (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Primary health care
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Clinical trials
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Leadership
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Benchmarking (Management)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Continuum of care
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Goal (Psychology)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mann Whitney U Test
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research methodology
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      – SubjectFull: Medical appointments
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Quality assurance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hospital health promotion programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health care teams
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Finland
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Improving access, mixed continuity: effects of multidisciplinary teams on primary health-care in Finland – a quasi-experimental study.
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              M: 12
              Text: Dec2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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