Continuity of Homecare Dottoro’ta Services in Makassar City: A Case Study of Bara-Baraya Public Health Center

This study analyzes the continuity of Homecare Dottoro’ta services at Bara-Baraya Public Health Center in Makassar City, Indonesia, using the three dimensions of continuity of care proposed by Haggerty et al. (2003): informational, relational, and management continuity. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation involving 22 informants, including healthcare professionals, service personnel, patients and their families, community health volunteers, and members of the public who had not used the service. The findings indicate that continuity of care has been established but is not yet fully optimal. Informational continuity is supported by service records, Electronic Medical Records (EMR), and staff communication, although network disruptions, limited access to some patient histories, and inconsistent documentation remain challenges. Relational continuity is supported by communication, health education, and follow-up, but rotating staff schedules mean that patients are not always attended to by the same healthcare professionals. Management continuity is supported by team organization, task allocation, visit scheduling, coordination, follow-up, and referral procedures; however, complex cases, referral coordination, and public understanding of service access require further attention. The study concludes that strengthening information-system reliability, documentation and handover practices, continuity of provider relationships where feasible, and monitoring of follow-up and referral processes is necessary to improve the continuity of Homecare Dottoro’ta services.