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Home care services in Turkey: An interactive workshop on autonomy, equity and human-centered primary care

Melike AKCAKAYA, Meryem ASKIN and Zeynep ASLAN

With global population ageing and increasing multimorbidity, home care services have become a vital part of primary healthcare. In Turkey, home care targets individuals who are bed-bound, device-dependent, functionally limited, elderly or unable to reach health facilities. Aligned with WHO principles, the national system is organized through a central call center, provincial coordination units and multidisciplinary home-care teams. Since the 2023 restructuring, the system has grown rapidly: in one tertiary region, more than 2000 patients have been served, and around 700 are under active follow-up. Teams include physicians, nurses, emergency medical technicians/home-care technicians, and when needed, physiotherapists, social-care liaisons, tele-health staff and collaboration with public safety services. Provided care includes medical examinations, wound care, sampling, catheter and enteral access procedures, injections, chronic disease monitoring, physical therapy, palliative support and remote-care technologies. This workshop explores how Turkey’s model reflects the WONCA 2026 values of liberty (autonomy), equity (fair access), fraternity (community solidarity) and humanism (dignified, compassionate care). Participants will share national experiences, compare systems and co-develop adaptable, transferable solutions for strengthening home-based care.Understand the structure, team composition, and service scope of the Turkish home-care model. Analyse how home-care practices promote autonomy, equitable access, solidarity and human-centered care. Compare international home-care models and identify shared challenges. Develop practical improvement strategies for primary-care-based home-care servicesMini-lecture on the Turkish model Multidisciplinary team role analysis Case-based small group discussions (COPD, dementia, terminal cancer) Role-play on first home visit, consent and safety planning Mapping equity gaps International experience sharing 10 min – Overview of the Turkish model 10 min – Liberty–Equity–Fraternity–Humanism framework 20 min – Interactive case-based group work 15 min – International comparison 5 min – Joint recommendationsParticipants will gain practical insights into an adaptable team-based home-care model, acquire tools for triage and home-visit planning, and co-create strategies to strengthen equity and humanism in primary care. Cross-country dialogue will support collaborative learning and shared system improvement.Turkey’s home-care model demonstrates how accessible, multidisciplinary and person-centered services can uphold WONCA’s core values. This workshop provides a dynamic platform for international comparison and the development of transferable improvements in home-care practice.