After-hours primary care for people with intellectual disabilities in The Netherlands-Current arrangements and challenges.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the organisation of after-hours primary care for people with intellectual disabilities (ID), and mainstream care is not self-evidently accessible or fit for this group. A first step towards improvement is a greater understanding of current after-hours primary ID care.


AIMS
This study explores the organisation of and experiences with after-hours primary care provided for people with ID in The Netherlands.


METHODS AND PROCEDURES
A telephone survey amongst 68 care provider services including questions on organisational characteristics, problem areas, facilitators, and inhibitors.


OUTCOMES AND RESULTS
A multitude of different after-hours primary care arrangements were found. Primary care physicians (PCPs) were involved in almost all care provider services, often in alliance with PCP cooperatives. Specialised ID physicians had differing roles as gatekeeper, primary caregiver, or consultant. Most problems during the after-hours arose regarding daily care professionals' competences. Facilitators and inhibitors of after-hours primary care were themed around complexity of, and need for, specialised care, multidisciplinary team of professionals, communication and information, and prerequisites at organisational level.


CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Evidence on specific after-hours health needs of people with ID is needed to strengthen collaboration between specialist ID care services and mainstream healthcare services to adequately provide care.
['Heutmekers|Marloes|M|', 'Naaldenberg|Jenneken|J|', 'Frankena|Tessa K|TK|', 'Smits|Marleen|M|', 'Leusink|Geraline L|GL|', 'Assendelft|Willem J J|WJJ|', 'van Schrojenstein Lantman-de Valk|Henny M J|HMJ|']
D039602:After-Hours Care D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel D017028:Caregivers D002983:Clinical Competence D066275:Health Information Exchange D006801:Humans D008607:Intellectual Disability D009426:Netherlands D009726:Nurses D010820:Physicians D058007:Physicians, Primary Care D011320:Primary Health Care D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D014218:Triage D035862:Vulnerable Populations D016526:Workload
Intellectual disability After-hours care Primary healthcare