Work

The impact of team-based primary care on quality-related healthcare services and access to primary care: Norway's primary healthcare teams pilot program

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study evaluates Norway's Primary Healthcare Teams (PHT) pilot program, which introduced team-based care in general practice clinics to improve care for patients with complex conditions. Practices hired nurses and chose between an activity-based or block funding model. This analysis examines the activity-based funding model, which incorporated fee-for-service (FFS) for nurses. Using a difference-in-differences (DID) approach, the study assesses the program's impact on quality-related primary care services, out-of-hours care, hospitalizations, general practitioners' (GPs') working hours, and patient list length. The findings show that PHTs increased quality-related services for target groups (primarily provided by nurses) without affecting GP working hours or list length, suggesting that added nurse capacity was used to enhance care for target patients, not expand primary care access. There is little evidence of changes in healthcare utilization outside primary care, except a possible reduction in hospitalizations for type 2 diabetes patients with ambulatory care-sensitive conditions.

Source: Journal of Health Economics

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2025.102987

Authors: Øyvind Snilsberg, Tor Iversen

Institution: University of Oslo

Language: English

Topic: Primary Care and Health Outcomes

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,260