Thanks to HIFA member James O'Donovan, director of research, digital innovation and AI at Community Health Impact Ccoalition.
James makes the point that this paper barely mentions community-based approaches, outreach, and CHWs.
I agree and add a comment on the paper's inclusion of information.
CITATION: Michael A Peters et al.
Reviving the promise of primary care: redesigning service delivery to promote core functions
Lancet Primary Care Volume 2, Issue 5100142 May 2026
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanprc/article/PIIS3050-5143(26)00037-3/fulltext
SUMMARY
Although primary care can reduce morbidity, increase lifespans, and improve health equity, it is underperforming globally. As health systems adapt with evolving funding, technology, and demographic conditions, the role of primary care in achieving health for all needs to be clearly explained. Redesigning primary care around four main functions (ie, being the first choice for most health needs; detecting illnesses and risks; providing high-quality care across the life course; and linking to advanced care and social systems) can optimise its benefits within broader systems. In this Viewpoint, we reassert the core functions of primary care, describe design features that promote the core functions, and introduce models that effectively leverage these functions to address emerging health-system challenges.
EXTRACT
In an era when information is a few taps away on a smartphone, primary care needs to be a competent, trusted, and reliable source of care that justifies the extra effort needed to physically interact with a provider.
COMMENT (NPW): The statement that 'information is a few taps away on a smartphone' makes me think of the optimism of people about the internet when I started working on this issue in 1990s and 2000s. At that time, many people assumed that access to the internet was going to solve all our problems with regards to the availability and use of reliable healthcare inforamtion. Now we know that this optimism was grossly misplaced: access to the internet has led to huge problems with misinformation and difficulties to differentiate what is reliable and relevant for one's needs versus the mass of information available.
Meeting the information needs of primary health workers, including community health workers, continues to be a major challenge that is yet to be addressed. HIFA's project on Community health workers has brought some additional understanding to this topic, but there is a long way to go. https://www.hifa.org/projects/community-health-workers
Best wishes, Neil
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org