2000 Volume 66 Issue 2 Pages 59-72
Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the care system for intractable neurological patients in the community of T public health center in prefecture A, and to identify its process towards system formation and factors contributing to it at four points in time between 1987 and 1997. Method The following items were surveyed through the material concerned and interviews of relevant staff members: the number of patients who were recognized by the public health center, individual and group-oriented services provided by the public health center and other organizations concerned. In addition, interviews and questionnaires to related staff members were administered to analyze the process towards system formation and the factors contributing to it. Results and Discussion 1. Community T provided health, medical and social welfare services to highly meet patients' needs. The public health center implemented group-oriented services, which had been improving, and it collaborated/cooperated with related organizations. On the basis of results of this study, it was concluded that community T needed to increase the number of organizations, and expand their function towards the integration stage or completion of system formation. 2. The first stage of the system formation process in this community was to understand the difficulties of patients and their families. The second stage was to provide care in usual ways.
