Integrating mental health into primary care: evaluation of the Health Action for Psychiatric Problems In Nigeria including Epilepsy and SubstanceS (HAPPINESS) pilot project

The Health Action for Psychiatric Problems In Nigeria including Epilepsy and SubstanceS (HAPPINESS) project trains non-specialist and primary health care workers in Imo State, Nigeria. This project adapted the World Health Organization’s Mental Health Gap Action Programme-Intervention Guide (mhGAP-IG), emphasizing stigma reduction among trainees. This convergent mixed-methods proof-of-concept study evaluates the HAPPINESS pilot project mhGAP-IG training’s impact on mental illness stigma among trainees and barriers, facilitators, and opportunities to consider for project improvement.

The European Health Data Space: A step towards digital and integrated care systems

In December 2021, EGIDE, the Expert Group for integrated Care and Digital Health Europe, has launched a paper ‘The European Health Data Space: A step towards digital and integrated care systems’.

The paper aims to represent the views of the chronic disease community. It provides a unique combination of perspectives from academia, healthcare professionals, patients and industry. The authors acknowledge too many patients across Europe are experiencing fragmented and delayed care. COVID-19 has highlighted the weaknesses of our healthcare systems and the need for rapid transformation. The European Health Data Space can act as a catalyst for change in several ...

Strengthening primary health care: contributions of young professional-led communities of practice

Health systems that have strong primary health care at their core have overall better patient outcomes. Primary health care is key to achieving Universal Health Coverage and the broader health-related Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. In 2018, at the launch of the Declaration of Astana, the World Health Organization formed the inaugural Primary Health Care Young Leaders’ Network. This paper aims to demonstrate the scope for young professional-led communities of practice in fostering support systems for young leaders and strengthening the delivery of primary health care at multiple levels.

What matters most in acute care: an interview study with older people living with frailty

Healthcare outcome goals are central to person-centred acute care, however evidence among older people is scarce. Older people who are living with frailty have distinct requirements for healthcare delivery and have distinct risk for adverse outcomes from healthcare. There is insufficient evidence for whether those living with frailty also have distinct healthcare outcome goals. This study explored the nature of acute care outcome goals in people living with frailty.

Person-centered care (PCC): the people's perspective

The call for person-centered care (PCC) is not new, yet despite a high priority over many decades and numerous frontline interventions, a lack of PCC persists. They hypothesize that PCC will continue to be a secondary feature until PCC is a widely understood to be at the core of care quality.

Community-Based Integrated Care Units: Intermediate Care Units for Older Adults in Japan

Demographic changes caused by the global aging of the population are leading to increased medical and care costs. Several models of care that avoid admission to general acute care hospitals, increased medical costs, and poor outcomes after hospitalization are being explored. Ribbink et al. reported on the subacute care unit (SCU) in Spain and the acute geriatric care hospital (AGCH) in the Netherlands as intermediate care units that provided an alternative to admission to a general hospital. In the present letter, we introduce the characteristics and outcomes of community-based integrated care units (CICUs) in Japan, which function as intermediate care ...

Community Volunteers and Primary Care Providers Supporting Older Adults in System Navigation: A Mixed Methods Study

Primary care providers and community volunteers have important roles in supporting patient system navigation and utilization of community-based health and social services (CBHSS). This study aimed to explore the experiences and impacts of system navigation in a complex intervention supporting older adults. Primary care teams’ practice of system navigation was impacted by programme participation, including through learning about local CBHSS.

Implementing care for healthy ageing

The WHO concept of Healthy Ageing (ie, the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that enables well-being in older age) has initiated a global discussion about the need for shifting paradigms to reorient health and social services towards person-centred and coordinated models of care. In particular, the integration of health and social care services is critical to provide the basis for comprehensive information sharing and service delivery to support the evolution of the older person over time. The capability to monitor and respond to an older person’s changing health and social care needs will enable prompt and ...

What Makes Integration of Chronic Care so Difficult? A Macro-Level Analysis of Barriers and Facilitators in Belgium

Although many countries have been implementing integrated care, the scale-up remains difficult. Macro-level system barriers play an important role. By selecting three key policies, which have implemented integrated care in Belgium over the last 10 years, we aim to go beyond the identification of their specific barriers and facilitators to obtain an overarching generic view.

Integrated Care in Aotearoa New Zealand 2008–2020

Ten years ago, progress towards integrated care in Aotearoa New Zealand was characterised as slow. Since then, there has been a patchwork of practices occurring under the broad umbrella of integrated care. These include: collective planning approaches (i.e., alliancing), agreed pathways of care, chronic care management initiatives, shared patient information systems, co-located centres and indigenous models of holistic care (e.g., Whanau Ora).