Challenges and next steps for primary care research

Individuals suffering from multiple chronic conditions may have health care needs that are more complex due to mental health comorbidities and/or social vulnerabilities,1 leading to frequent use of heath care services.2–4 Individuals with such complex needs require a variety of health care, social, and community-based services and supports. Without well-coordinated efforts among all these partners, patients with complex needs may experience excessive or ineffective health care resulting in poor health outcomes, and considerable costs to the health and social services system.5

Organizing services to improve care and performance for these high needs patients is a priority for the health care system, and implies better integration of services provided by health care and social professionals as well as community-based services.4 A forum at the 2016 NAPCRG6 conference gathered international researchers to discuss challenges and next steps for primary care research to better inform and facilitate this integration. Below we summarize the discussion on challenges to conducting research to benefit patients with complex needs including research designs and funding.