jcm-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Innovations and Advances in Primary Care and Family Medicine

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Epidemiology & Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 792

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Interests: primary care; public health; family medicine; chronic disease management; diabetes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Primary care and family medicine are central to healthcare systems, yet they are under increasing pressure. Aging populations, rising multimorbidity, mental health needs, and workforce constraints challenge the organization and delivery of care. At the same time, primary care is expected to strengthen prevention, continuity, and coordination across care settings.

In recent years, numerous innovations have been introduced in primary care, including integrated care models, interdisciplinary teamwork, proactive approaches to chronic care, and digital health tools. However, the evidence base for many of these innovations remains fragmented. Implementation in real-world practice is often difficult, and transferability across healthcare systems is limited.

The aim of this Special Issue is to advance the evidence on innovations in primary care and family medicine that address these challenges. We focus on clinical, organizational, and system-level innovations that improve care delivery, support daily clinical work, and strengthen coordination across disciplines and sectors.

We invite researchers and clinicians to contribute original research, reviews, and implementation studies that provide robust evidence, practical insights, and lessons learned from real-world primary care settings. By mobilizing contributions from different contexts, this Special Issue aims to support the sustainable development of primary care and family medicine. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Integrated and shared-care models between primary care, hospitals, and mental health services;
  • Chronic disease management and multimorbidity in family medicine;
  • Mental health care and somatic care for people with severe mental illness in primary care;
  • Population health management and proactive follow-up strategies;
  • Digital tools supporting clinical work in general practice;
  • Interdisciplinary teamwork and task delegation in primary care practices;
  • Implementation and evaluation of innovations in primary care;
  • Patient-centered care, shared decision-making, and self-management support;
  • Health services research relevant to primary care;
  • The relationship between primary care and the emergency department. 

Prof. Dr. Geert Goderis
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • primary care
  • family medicine
  • integrated care
  • chronic disease management
  • multimorbidity
  • mental health
  • digital health
  • artificial intelligence
  • population health management
  • implementation research
  • health services research
  • interdisciplinary collaboration
  • evidence-based practice

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

20 pages, 1291 KB  
Article
Development, Feasibility, and Appreciation of the Collaborative Integrated Depression Care (IDECA) Project in Flanders, Belgium
by Ruben Willems, Kris Van den Broeck, Reini Haverals, Lieven Annemans, Pauline Boeckxstaens, Didier Schrijvers, Geert Goderis, Elke Peeters and Liesbeth Borgermans
J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(6), 2326; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15062326 - 18 Mar 2026
Viewed by 523
Abstract
Background: Depression remains a major global health burden, yet fragmented care often leads to waiting times and unmet needs. Therefore, the Belgian collaborative Integrated Depression Care (IDECA) project strengthened primary care depression management by introducing a Reference Person Mental Wellbeing (RPMW) who [...] Read more.
Background: Depression remains a major global health burden, yet fragmented care often leads to waiting times and unmet needs. Therefore, the Belgian collaborative Integrated Depression Care (IDECA) project strengthened primary care depression management by introducing a Reference Person Mental Wellbeing (RPMW) who functions as a case manager, supported by shared-care tools, structured psychoeducation modules, and targeted training for general practitioners (GPs). This study examines normalization in primary care practice. Methods: A single-arm, mixed-method study was implemented over 18 months in two Flemish Primary Care Zones (PCZ). Implementation outcomes were assessed every four months using the NoMAD questionnaire and analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Peer review sessions with professionals and interviews with patients were analyzed thematically. Caseload and service delivery were assessed using process evaluation logs. Results: Twenty-two professionals (17 GPs, two RPMWs, and three PCZ staff members) completed the NoMAD questionnaire. Intervention familiarity increased during the first eight months (T0–T1: p < 0.001; T1–T2: p = 0.022) and continued to rise thereafter (T3–T4: p = 0.008). Integration into daily practice and perceived impact on professional work improved progressively, reaching near-ceiling scores. Peer review sessions highlighted the RPMW’s central role in trust-building and care coordination. Over 12 months, one full-time equivalent RPMW supported 175 patients (mean age 40.7 years; 75% female), with an average of five consultations per patient. Patients reported high satisfaction, emphasizing accessibility, empathy, and practical support. Conclusions: Sustained results suggest successful normalization and support the potential of collaborative, low-threshold depression care. Future work will assess clinical and economic outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Advances in Primary Care and Family Medicine)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

17 pages, 769 KB  
Review
Patient-Centred Care for Multimorbid Patients: A Scoping Review
by Ine Van den Wyngaert, Bert Vaes, Nicolas Delvaux and Gijs Van Pottelbergh
J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(10), 3774; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15103774 - 14 May 2026
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The Belgian healthcare system is currently organised from a single-disease point of view, which poses a unique challenge for patients suffering from two or more long-term physical and/or mental conditions (multimorbidity) and their healthcare providers. To search for strategies that respond to [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The Belgian healthcare system is currently organised from a single-disease point of view, which poses a unique challenge for patients suffering from two or more long-term physical and/or mental conditions (multimorbidity) and their healthcare providers. To search for strategies that respond to the constantly changing medical landscape and the complexity of multimorbid care. Patient-centred care programmes for multimorbid patients in primary care were investigated and their intervention elements were assessed as to whether or not they have a positive effect on the Triple Aim. Methods: A scoping review was performed and reported following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Online databases (PubMed, Cochrane, Embase) were used to identify papers published between January 2000 and August 2023, supplemented by reference tracking and a manual search in the grey literature. Studies were included if they assessed the efficacy of patient-centred intervention in primary care for multimorbid adult patients. Results: From the 7020 papers identified, 39 were selected and included in the review. Interventions took place at three levels (patient, professional and organisational). The efficacy of the studies included was heterogeneous. The different intervention elements had a more frequent positive effect on healthcare experience than on health status and behaviour. The only intervention that appeared to score partially positive results across all Triple Aim domains was a care coordinator. Conclusions: This scoping review provides an overview of existing patient-centred interventions for multimorbidity. Findings could be used to assist in the development of a framework for multimorbid patient care. Future studies should recognise the importance of patient experience and formulate and evaluate sufficient outcomes within this domain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations and Advances in Primary Care and Family Medicine)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop