Starfield's 4Cs of NCD management in primary healthcare: a conceptual framework development from a case study of 19 countries.

Introduction: Faced with a backdrop of an increasing chronic disease burden from an ageing global population compounded with rising healthcare costs, health systems are required to implement cost-effective, safe and equitable care through efficient service delivery models. One approach to achieving this is through Starfield's 4Cs of primary healthcare (PHC), which delineates the key attributes of a high-performing PHC system that upholds the pillars of care coordination, first contact of care, continuity of care and comprehensive care. Therefore, this study aims to explore and elucidate the key themes and subthemes related to and extending beyond Starfield's 4Cs of PHC by integrating findings from a comprehensive literature review and a qualitative study.