Portugal - Country case study on the integrated delivery of long-term care (2020)

This report describes the current state of the delivery of health and social long-term care services in Portugal. The country has advanced the policy framework to achieve integrated services delivery. However, fragmentation in the governance, funding and delivery renders the long-term care system inequitable and inefficient. The main policy pointers to further advance integration include consolidating pathways and care transitions, promoting joint training and multi-profile teams and addressing the shortage of human resources, migration and working conditions. 

Facilitators and barriers of managing patients with multiple chronic conditions in the community: a qualitative study

Approximately one-third of all adults worldwide are diagnosed with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs). The literature has identified several challenges facing providers and patients coping with managing MCCs in the community, yet few studies have considered their viewpoints in combination. A qualitative study involving healthcare providers and users was thus conducted to examine facilitators and barriers of managing patients with MCCs in the community in Singapore.

Innovative Integrated Health And Social Care Programs In Eleven High-Income Countries

High-income countries face the challenge of providing effective and efficient care to the relatively small proportion of their populations with high health and social care needs. Recent reports suggest that integrated health and social care programs target specific high-needs population segments, coordinate health and social care services to meet their clients’ needs, and engage clients and their caregivers. We identified thirty health and social care programs in eleven high-income countries that delivered care in new ways. We used a structured survey to characterize the strategies and activities used by these programs to identify and recruit clients, coordinate care, and engage clients and caregivers. We found that there were some common features in the implementation of these innovations across the eleven countries and some variation related to local context or the clients served by these programs. Researchers could use this structured approach to better characterize the core components of innovative integrated ...

Germany - Country case study on the integrated delivery of long-term care (2020)

This report describes the provision of long-term care in Germany, with an emphasis on identifying efforts to foster the integrated delivery of services. There is mandatory statutory or private long-term care insurance for the entire population; eligibility for long-term care is open to people with any restricted competencies in daily life. Long-term care encompasses cash benefits, benefits in kind or residential care. Health expenditure is high, and coordination of care across ambulatory, hospital, rehabilitative and long-term care remains a challenge. Although the system performs well by several measures, strengthening the role of general practitioners and primary care could result in reduction in amenable mortality and preventable hospitalization while fostering integration of care and case management in long-term care.

Romania - Country case study on the integrated delivery of long-term care (2020)

This report describes the main findings and policy pointers of an assessment of the current conditions of integrated delivery of long-term health and social services in Romania. The country has advanced in enacting legislation to regulate the provision of long-term care. Service provision is limited to social services, whereas the health component is not defined by law. The current provision of long-term care is insufficient, services are fragmented and there are no defined pathways of care. The system relies heavily on families to provide care, but services for unpaid caregivers are underdeveloped. There is an acute shortage of workers, caused by migration of workers to other European countries.

Driving and accelerating a 'one system' response: why COVID-19 has shone a spotlight on Integrated Care

High performing health and social care systems provide exceptional care, quality and experiences for patients, caregivers and providers. Pivotal to this, is how we work across health and social care as one team. The need for integrated care is a global priority and is poised to address fragmentation and accelerate the improvements that are needed. During a global pandemic, the need to work as an integrated system is even more pressing and gives us an opportunity to pause, reflect and respond.

In situations where systems are subjected to unprecedented pressure, organizations and sectors may respond from the lens of what can their individual organization or sector do, rather than responding as a cohesive and interconnected system.

Organizations that have embraced collaborative models of response and care and were already working to advance integration pre-pandemic appear to be more effective in responding as one connected team and community.

This webinar will ...

Shared Governance: Working Together to Enable People-Centred Integrated Care

Now more than ever, healthcare systems and communities must work together to improve outcomes for patients, caregivers and populations. Shared governance is an essential piece of the journey towards an integrated, people-centred health system; one that must be co-designed in partnership to breakdown barriers in care.

Join this session to learn from the first-hand experiences from a patient partner, a senior health care leader, a Canadian policy maker and an international expert, as they discuss:

• Examples of how shared governance models have been co-designed to enable collaborative, people-centred health systems across the continuum of care; and
• Key practices and implementation resources based on the latest evidence.

Navigating COVID-19: Supporting Individuals With Dementia And Their Caregivers

The current COVID-19 emergency presents new and unique challenges for individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD) as well as the family and friends providing care for them.

Providers and health plans can play a key role in supporting individuals with ADRD and their caregivers as they navigate these challenges. This webinar provided information on how COVID-19 affects and presents in people with ADRD, strategies for family and friend caregivers for supporting those with ADRD living at home during COVID-19, and opportunities for health care systems to prepare to meet the needs of people with ADRD diagnosed with COVID-19.

• Freddi Segal-Gidan, PA, PhD; Director, USC-Rancho California Alzheimer’s Disease Center (CADC), Assistant Professor Clinical Neurology and Family Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC
• Joseph Herrera, MSW; Director, Outreach and Education, USC-Rancho CADC
• Jennifer Schlesinger, MPH, CHES; Director, Professional Training and Healthcare Services, Alzheimer’s ...

What constitutes ‘good’ home care for people with dementia? An investigation of the views of home care service recipients and providers

Our objective was to explore what people receiving and providing care consider to be ‘good’ in-home care for people living with dementia.

Consensus was reached across all groups on five themes considered as important for good in-home dementia care: 1) Home care workers’ understanding of dementia and its impact; 2) Home care workers’ demonstrating person-centred care and empathy in their care relationship with their client; 3) Good relationships and communication between care worker, person with dementia and family carers; 4) Home care workers’ knowing positive practical strategies for changed behaviours; 5) Effective workplace policies and workforce culture. The results contributed to the co-design of a dementia specific training program for home care workers.

Care for caregivers- a mission for primary care

The number of elderly people living in the community who are limited in daily activities is increasing worldwide. This generates prolonged care, which usually falls on one family member, the family caregiver. Caregivers are prone to develop psychosocial and physical symptoms. As a result, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a clear directive to assess and support these caregivers. The main goals of this study were to assess primary care physicians’ (PCP) awareness to caregivers’ health risks and the extent that they recommended preventive measures to maintain the health of the caregivers. Although a high percentage of physicians were aware and concerned about caregivers’ health, their preventive care activities were relatively passive. PCPs should take a more active and preventive role for maintaining caregivers’ health.

Integrated Care Matters: Webinar Series 7: Proactive, Personalised Digital Care and Support in collaboration with Scotland’s Digifest22

IFIC Scotland and partners are delighted to announce the first webinar in our Integrated Care Matters Series 7. This series will consider innovations in holistic and personalised approaches to integrated care and support.

Each webinar will be accompanied by a topic resource with links to further information. All who register will receive links to the recordings and topic resources.

Perceptions of people living with dementia regarding patient-centred aspects of their care and caregiver support

This study examined the perceptions of a sample of Australian people living with dementia regarding the person-centred care and support they received from health professionals and family.

AICIC23 All-Ireland Conference on Integrated Care | 23 March 2022 | Dublin UCD