Abstract:
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is a limited evidentiary base on the
development of family medicine in different contexts and countries. The lack
of evidence impedes our ability to compare and characterize family medicine
models and identify areas of success that have led to the effective provision of
care. This paper offers a comparative compilation and analysis of the develop-
ment of family medicine training programs in seven countries: Brazil, Canada,
Ethiopia, Haiti, Indonesia, Kenya, and Mali.
METHODS: Using qualitative case studies, this paper examines the process of
developing family medicine programs, including enabling strategies and barri-
ers, and shared lessons. An appreciative inquiry framework and complex adap-
tive systems thinking inform our qualitative study.
RESULTS: Committed partnerships, the contribution of champions, health pol-
icy, and adaptability were identified as key enablers in all seven case studies.
The case studies further reveal that some enablers were more salient in certain
contexts as compared to others, and that it is the interaction of enablers that is
crucial for understanding how and why initiatives succeeded. The barriers that
emerged across the seven case studies include: (1) resistance from other medi-
cal specialties, (2) lack of resources and capabilities, (3) difficulty in sustaining
support of champions, and (4) challenges in brokering effective partnerships.
CONCLUSIONS: A key insight from this study is that the implementation of
family medicine is nonlinear, dynamic, and complex. The findings of this com-
parative analysis offer insights and strategies that can inform the design and
development of family medicine programs elsewhere
