Strategies to improve health care for patients with refugee status in King County, WA: Voices of Primary Care Providers
Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The purpose of this research was to help identify priority areas, related to clinical care for refugees, in need of more support, assess the desire for more information on this topic among Primary Care Providers (PCPs), and to identify common challenges and potential strategies to providing quality health care for this population.A qualitative research study, using Participatory Action Research (PAR) methods, was conducted to address these issues.Semi-structured interviews and participant observation with PCPs were used for data collection.PCPs self-identified challenges, needs, and strategies involved in providing care for recently resettled refugees.The project resulted in the collection and analysis of qualitative data and found that the identification of recently arrived refugees was a major issue, communication, difficulty obtaining health history, increased encounter time for clinic visits, inadequate reimbursement rates were among the challenges.Several strategies for working with refugees include; adaptation of the clinic structure, the use of cultural navigators, improved sharing of health records, increased collaboration among public health and social service agencies, increased collaboration among PCPs working with similar populations and increased support for enhancement of cultural competence skills were also seen as potential solutions.This project was successful in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between different individuals working with refugees in the health and social service sectors and raising awareness of gaps at the system-level.Recommendations include enhanced support for providers at the clinic, county, and state levels in order to improve the structures, policies, and methods for ensuring the delivery of culturally competent high quality care for all. OverviewWashington state accepted 3,004 newly arrived refugees during 2010 (Martin, 2011, Table 5, p.4). King County, particularly south-central King County, is recipient of the highest number of these individuals in the state.Though some social service agencies and non-profit health entities receive enhanced funding as a result of this influx, some members of the private health care sector do not.Primary Care Providers (PCPs) in this area are exposed to a high number of refugee patients, often those seeking care in the U.S. health care system for the first time.PCPs, especially those in private practice, do not routinely receive extra training or resources to deal with specific needs associated with this population, nor is there a strong method for communication among providers within the county.This puts them at a disadvantage for providing high quality health services and it has the potential to have a negative impact on the health and well-being of refugee patients seeking care.The purpose of this research is to help identify priority areas, related to clinical care for refugees, in need of more support, assess the desire for more information on this topic, and to identify common challenges and potential strategies to providing quality health care for recently resettled refugees in King County.To address these issues, a qualitative research study using a participatory action framework was utilized.Semi-structured interviews and participant observation were conducted among a group of health care providers in this area. Research Questions I.What is the current level of knowledge related to patients who are recently arrived refugees, among those involved in providing primary care in south-central King County, WA?II.What do these Primary Care Providers perceive as challenges and solutions, for providing high quality health care for patients who are refugees?What is the interest level among these Primary Care Providers in increasing collaboration with other local health and social service providers, and on receiving information specific to health needs of refugees?
Author: Mary Stasio
Language: English
Topic: Migration, Health and Trauma
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2793445013