Patients Living with Social Vulnerabilities Experience Reduced Access at Team-Based Primary Healthcare Clinics

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore differences in access to care as experienced by patients registered in team-based primary healthcare clinics according to their social vulnerability profile. METHOD: A total of 1,562 patients from four team-based primary healthcare clinics completed an e-survey conducted between June and November 2021. The social vulnerability index was used to compare the experiences. RESULTS: Patients with low vulnerability consulted at emergency rooms three times more often because their family physician was not available (p = 0.006) than patients with no vulnerability. Lack of continuity was reported two times more often by patients with low vulnerability related to team members not knowing their recent medical history (p = 0.006) and by patients with high vulnerability related to no one being in charge of their file (p = 0.023). Both vulnerable groups reported receiving contradictory information more often than patients with no vulnerability. CONCLUSION: Patients with high vulnerability experienced more access difficulties related to continuity, interprofessional collaboration and communication with providers.