An Approach to Caring for Patients with Complex Co-Morbidities for the Family Physicians: The SBAR4 Model for Complex Co-Morbidities

ABSTRACT

Providing comprehensive and continuing care to patients is the forte of family physicians. The burden of providing such care to patients with complicated co-morbidities is increasing rapidly in ageing populations. Primary care systems around the world are ill equipped to face such a challenge. Family physicians need to hone their skills in this area of care. We propose the use of the SBAR4 model as a framework for managing complex co-morbidities. This model is easy to learn and use by family physicians as it is based on the familiar SBAR model of clinical communication and Pendelton’s 7 Tasks of consultation. We believe that the SBAR4 will assist the clinician to assess patients with complex co-morbidities and map out a comprehensive care plan that can be easily understood by a multidisciplinary team caring for such patients.