Health of Primary Care in California Annual Snapshot
Introducing the Health of Primary Care in California Annual Snapshot
This introductory brief is the first in a series of ongoing annual Primary Care Snapshot products. This brief describes the background and context that led HCAI to launch the Primary Care Snapshot, a baseline overview of the current state of primary care in California, and HCAI’s approach to developing and implementing the Primary Care Snapshot.
To monitor the primary care sector across the state, inform policy development, and drive improvements to primary care infrastructure, HCAI is developing the Health of Primary Care in California Annual Snapshot (Primary Care Snapshot). The Primary Care Snapshot will utilize existing data sources across HCAI and other partners to report on relevant, actionable primary care metrics, referred to in the Snapshot as indicators, and provide comprehensive public reporting on primary care in California.
The HCAI Health of Primary Care in California Annual Snapshot will unite HCAI’s decades of primary care development, monitoring, and analysis expertise with reporting efforts across the state, such as from other state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and academic researchers, into one tool dedicated to advancing primary care in California. HCAI will monitor primary care indicators across five key domains in the Primary Care Snapshot: investment, workforce, access, quality, and equity. The Primary Care Snapshot will emphasize the importance and value of primary care with the aim of strengthening California’s primary care sector, thereby advancing a healthier California for all.
Defining Primary Care
Primary care, which is the provision of health care services by providers who are accountable for addressing the majority of an individual’s health care needs over time, plays a critical role in providing preventive services, acute care, and ongoing care for chronic physical and behavioral health conditions. High quality primary care is the foundation of a high-functioning health care system. HCAI envisions a high-quality, advanced primary care sector as one that is accessible, fosters long-term trusting relationships, and utilizes well-rounded, interprofessional primary care teams to provide comprehensive, person- and family-centered, integrated, coordinated, and equitable care to all Californians.
HCAI’s Work in Primary Care
HCAI leads multiple initiatives to advance primary care delivery and public data reporting in California. These include the Song-Brown Healthcare Workforce Training Program and efforts through the California Primary Care Office, the Health Workforce Research Data Center, the Healthcare Payments Data Program, the Office of the Patient Advocate, and the Office of Health Care Affordability. The annual Primary Care Snapshot will utilize data from these HCAI initiatives that report on aspects of the primary care sector in California across the five planned Primary Care Snapshot domains.
HCAI’s public Primary Care Snapshot Workgroup meets regularly to provide input on the development of the Primary Care Snapshot. Information about the Workgroup and its public meetings is available here.