Defining Primary Health Care
Looking through a different lens than what has been traditionally used.
Rather than the focus being “sickness”, “illness” or “disability” or loss of health, the focus is turned toward defining Quality of Life. It is the person who is at the centre of discussion, definition and determinants of Quality of Life,
Thinking “beyond” the box, of conventional health care delivery, and “beyond” what silo’s exist in all of our social services and political systems, we empower and advocate for self-care first and formost, and target prevention, health promotion and health protection.
Inclusive of “determinants” of health that we use as a foundation for identifying needs and strengths we focus on ecological, environmental, levels of understanding (educational acquirement), age, gender, ethnicity/race as the primary directions to define quality of life contexts.
“Quality of Life Indicators” will be elevated as a priority marker, in determining level of care and the provider/professional that brings “best-practice” services, again, as defined by the person…what that “quality of life” looks like.
The Principles of Primary Health Care are to be forever married to the Principles of Community Development.
Principles of Primary Health Care:
Equitable and reasonable Accessibility
Inter-sectoral Collaboration
Public Participation and Definition of Quality of Life and “Wellness”
Health Promotion, Injury and Illness Prevention
Affordable and Appropriate Technology

Principles of Community Development
Connective Processes
Collaboration
Empowerment
Advocacy
Organizational Actions

Defining the PHC Collaborative-
Inter-sectoral, transdisciplinary, inclusive of the person, inclusive of all possible professionals and community providers, with focus on family and faith communities schools, libraries, colleges and Universities.
Co-op, training, and “practicum’s” should be focused on “population- based” , community and public health models, as much as the delivery of “illness or disability care”.

Strengthening the “optimal” functioning of the individual, the family, the community is the “optimal focus” of which the objectives, goals, and administration of “health care delivery” of the Primary Health Care Collaborative..

Defining The Quality of Life Indicators
Defining “optimal Functioning”
Transition to the focus on “Wellness” of the individual, family, community and “Organizational Wellness”.
On an individual level, Wellness can be examined under these four Pillars:
Wholeness, Healing, Health and Well-being

To support the four pillars and complete the eight principles of wellness…are the following “Personal Responsibilities.

Responsibility toward efforts and attitudes that will inevitably ensure Optimal Functional Capacity at this stage in your life. Optimal functioning will include emotional, intellectual and relational components, while Optimal Fitness (functional fitness) will be that which support and enhances the energy in which one appreciates Quality of Life, Purpose and a Passion for living.

Optimal Consumption, is a combination of consuming optimal nutrients, avoidance of ingestion of harmful foods or fluids, while focusing on the fluid and electrolyte, vitamin, mineral and anti-oxidant consumption that reduces, not contributes to disease or disability.

Positivity in attitude, communication and relationships will enhance quality of life, and assure that collaborations and partnerships will be synergistically positive. Changing the world and living a positive legacy comes from “intention” to live a life that is focused on love, compassion, caring and empathy. We are connected to all, we are one…this should be everyone’s mantra. The human family, the animal kingdom and the earth are so very dependent of “positive ecological responsibility”. May we never lose sight of the greater purpose of living, to live for and with “the other”…considering future generations as the benefactors of how we are choosing to live, today.
All of these four pillars of wellness, examined through the following domains:
Physical, Emotional, Intellectual, Social, Spiritual, Cultural, Inter-relational, and Ecological.

An example of how this model differs from our traditional appreciation of Health and Illness…is in terms of “pathophysiology” and that “biological” systems interface, Host (human) with vector (influenza or bacterium)…as separate entities, the consequence of an immune system “over-come” and a disease state…”begins”.
From a wholeness context in the ecological domain…is that we “co-exist” in a univerasal environment…and the things we choose to eat…or the activities of daily living, may determine our success in “living well”…as part of and immersed in a co-existing “Ecology” as just one community member (species) of the planet.
Consequences of modern living…are now being illuminated, the “ecological footprint” theory, is just now scratching the surface, as to what we need to do to “live well”…and avoid, delay, reverse or eliminate, “disease” states.
“Community Efforts” and Family Efforts will have so much more influence toward positive change and Quality of life indicators for all on the planet, then will single, individual efforts. This is an argument that supports “population-based health care advances.
It is this “population-based” focus that is at the heart of the Primary Health Care Collaborative Model.
This model is also supported by “Social Integration Model” theory.

Goals of the Primary Health Care Collaborative are many and will be added here over time.

Reduce disease burden, suffering and disability.

Cost effective solutions to the health care crisis, by reducing need for professionals (of which there is growing, and costly, shortages), by preventing medical errors, by preventing injuries, lost production time, and Workplace Safety and Insurance Board support (which is ultimately tax-payers dollars). Cost to society and the environment is also to be a consideration under the context of “cost”.

Advocacy to self-care and family participation. Many care-givers are family members. There needs to be greater safety net systems (respite), but also the education of lay-family member could/would reduce admissions, doctor visits (and the perceived shortage) and would assure greater quality of life for all, care giver, as well as care receiver.

WE welcome perspectives that would shed light on this subject…and the offering of solutions and or dialogue of change and value.

Dave