Towards applying the essential public health functions for building health systems resilience: A renewed list and key enablers for operationalization

The COVID-19 pandemic, climate change-related events, protracted conflicts, economic stressors and other health challenges, call for strong public health orientation and leadership in health system strengthening and policies. Applying the essential public health functions (EPHFs) represents a holistic operational approach to public health, which is considered to be an integrated, sustainable, and cost-effective means for supporting universal health coverage, health security and improved population health and wellbeing. As a core component of the Primary Health Care (PHC) Operational Framework, EPHFs also support the continuum of health services from health promotion and protection, disease prevention to treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative services ...

Developing an integrated model of care for vulnerable populations living with non-communicable diseases in Lebanon: an online theory of change workshop

The Syrian crisis, followed by a financial crisis, port explosion, and COVID-19, have put enormous strain on Lebanon’s health system. Syrian refugees and the vulnerable host population have a high burden of Non-communicable Diseases (NCD) morbidity and unmet mental health, psychosocial and rehabilitation needs. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) recently introduced integrated NCD services within its package of primary care in Lebanon, which includes NCD primary health care, rehabilitation, and mental health and psychosocial support services. We aimed to identify relevant outcomes for people living with NCDs from refugee and host communities in northern Lebanon, as ...

Integrated care models in Swiss primary care: An embedded multiple case study

Healthcare systems are confronted with a rising number of patients with chronic conditions and complex care needs, requiring the development of new models of coordinated, patient-centred care. In this study, we aimed to describe and compare a range of new models of care recently implemented in primary care in Switzerland, as well as to gain insight into the type of coordination or integration implemented, the strengths and weaknesses of each model and the challenges they face.

Regional framework on the future of primary health care in the Western Pacific

Regional Framework on the Future of Primary Health Care (PHC) was adopted by Member States at the seventy-third session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in 2022. The framework outlines five key attributes of PHC including people and community-centered, continuous, high-quality and equitable, integrated, and innovative. It highlights five strategic areas of actions needed which pivot around models of service delivery, individual and community empowerment, workforce and provider base, financing, enabling and supportive environment to enable this transformation. It calls on critical health system transformation for the future to achieve Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goals.

Integrated person- and people-centred primary care for diabetes in low- and middle-income countries: The nurses' perspective on patient needs

The aim of this study was to identify what nurses working in primary care settings perceive as necessary to support the life needs of people with type 2 diabetes. Articulate these needs with the needs expressed by people with diabetes in a previous study. This study demonstrates nurses' important contribution to analysing and designing people-centred care in their community. 

Universal health coverage is a matter of equity, rights, and justice

The Coalition of Partnerships for Universal Health Coverage and Global Health calls on all countries to urgently reinvigorate progress towards health for all.

At the High Level Political Forum in July and the three UN High-level meetings on health, upcoming in September, 2023, all countries must recognise that progress in providing tuberculosis care, strengthening pandemic preparedness, and delivering the human right to health through universal health coverage are interrelated goals, requiring a concerted focus on the most vulnerable and marginalised populations.

Models, theoretical design and formal evaluation of integrated specialist community health service provision for the first 2000 days: a scoping review

This scoping review identifies evidence for design, models and evaluation of integrated care service provision for families and children in the first 2000 days, in the context of community-based specialised health, education and welfare services.

When the Note Doesn't Fit: Social Workers Documenting in the Electronic Health Record on Integrated Health Teams

A qualitative study was conducted to understand how social workers document their work in the electronic health record (EHR) in integrated primary care settings. Three themes emerged from the analysis of the focus groups: 1) considerable variability in where and how social workers document their practice within the EHR; 2) EHR functions are not designed for social work practice; and 3) EHR documentation practices as helpful for demonstrating social workers’ contributions to other integrated care team members. Education, training, and EHR adaptations are needed as social workers and other nontraditional healthcare providers continue to partake in team-based service delivery, especially ...

Models of Integrated Care: The global experience

This Global Experience Paper on Integrated Health Care was developed to provide the Primary Health Care Institute (PHCI) in Libya with insights as it designs and develops its plans to rebuild primary health care (PHC). The findings are informed by a review of recent international literature, and by insights provided by selected international experts. The paper uses the Framework on Integrated, People-Centered Health Services from the World Health Organization to structure the analysis of global experiences. Overall, there is no single model of integration that can or should be adopted in countries seeking to develop primary health care. There is ...

How can Ireland mobilise social care community networks across the island to better support people to live healthily and ‘age in place’ throughout the life course?

Population aging is a phenomenon affecting almost every developed country worldwide and one that is increasingly prevalent in many of the globe’s most advanced economies such as Japan, USA and Europe. In seeking to address the impact of this issue, policy-makers are often heavil  focussed on the social and economic consequences of aging populations, such as a reduction in economic growth or increased pressures on public expenditure. However some have argued that policy should instead be more future-focussed, supporting states to build greater resilience to demographic changes and ensuring resources are redistributed to maintain wellbeing across the life course.