Background Family doctor contract services in mainland China are designed to foster long-term relationships between family doctors and contracted residents, promoting the delivery of primary care services through teamwork and collaboration. By 2035, it is expected that the coverage of these services will exceed 75%, making it a key model for primary care in China. However, the outcome dimensions and measurement approaches used to evaluate the effectiveness of these services remain fragmented and lack a comprehensive framework. This scoping review aims to systematically investigate the outcome dimensions and measurement approaches previously used to evaluate the effectiveness of family doctor contract services in mainland China.

Methods This scoping review will be conducted in accordance with the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. We will search electronic databases, including CNKI, Wanfang, PubMed, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, JBI Evidence Synthesis, PROSPERO, and Google Scholar, for literature published since 2006. Eligible sources will include policy documents, quantitative studies, and qualitative studies that assess the outcomes of family doctor contract services. Data extraction will focus on the outcome dimensions and measurement approaches used in these evaluations. Two independent reviewers will screen and extract data from the literature, and any discrepancies will be resolved through group discussions with a third reviewer. Descriptive statistics will be used to analyze the extracted data, and the results will be presented through tables, charts, and a hierarchical tree diagram of outcome dimensions and measurement tools.

Discussion This scoping review will provide a comprehensive overview of the outcome dimensions and measurement approaches used to evaluate family doctor contract services in mainland China. It will help to identify gaps in the existing literature and offer a clearer framework for future evaluations of these services. By mapping out the outcome dimensions and tools, this review aims to contribute to improving the quality and effectiveness of family doctor contract services in China. The findings will be particularly valuable for policymakers and researchers focused on enhancing primary care systems.

Systematic review registration Registered in OSF on September 20, 2024 (osf.io/z3eju)

The authors have declared no competing interest.

This research was funded by the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission Health Policy Research Project (Grant No. 2023HP28&2023HP71), Shanghai Leading Talents Program (Grant No. YDH-20170627), and Discipline Leader Advancement Program of Yangpu District Central Hospital (Ye2202103).

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