Project INTEGRATE: Lessons for Policy, Management and Implementation of Integrated Care in Europe

Project INTEGRATE aims to gain valuable insights into the leadership, management and delivery of integrated care to support European care systems to respond to the challenges of ageing populations and the rise of people living with long-term chronic conditions.

This project has already examined four case studies of best practices of integrated care in Europe, in the areas of COPD, Mental Health, Geriatric Conditions and Diabetes, that have had a proven impact in terms of improving patient experiences, generating better care outcomes and providing cost-effectiveness. The key aim of this part of the research was to define what constitutes good ...

Community Care for People with Complex Care Needs: Bridging the Gap between Health and Social Care

Introduction: A growing number of people are living with complex care needs characterized by multimorbidity, mental health challenges and social deprivation. Required is the integration of health and social care, beyond traditional health care services to address social determinants. This study investigates key care components to support complex patients and their families in the community.

Methods: Expert panel focus groups with 24 care providers, working in health and social care sectors across Toronto, Ontario, Canada were conducted. Patient vignettes illustrating significant health and social care needs were presented to participants. The vignettes prompted discussions on i) how best to meet ...

Using Information Communication Technology in Models of Integrated Community-Based Primary Health Care: Exploring ICT in the iCOACH Study

Information and communication technology (ICT) is a promising enabler to support delivery of integrated care by inter-disciplinary teams by supporting information sharing across professional and  organizational boundaries; arguably a crucial aspect of successful models of integrated care

Can chronic disease be managed through integrated care cost-effectively? Evidence from a systematic review.

The increase in demand for integrated care models to manage chronic disease is a challenge for the Irish health system, which is traditionally organised around the acute hospital services. Implementing integrated care programmes requires significant investment, and thus, their economic impact requires consideration.

AIMS:This paper updates the previous evidence on the cost-effectiveness of integrated care programmes to support the development of a cost-effective integrated care programme for chronic disease management.

METHODS: A systematic review of economic evaluations of integrated care programmes for chronic diseases (respiratory, cardiovascular, diabetes and musculoskeletal diseases) was performed using methods guided by the principles of ...

Primary Care Home October 2017

The Primary Care Home programme has gathered huge momentum since its inception in autumn 2015. From 15 original rapid test sites– they now have more than 190 sites across England, covering eight million patients– 14 per cent of the population.

Applications continue to come in – all are very welcome to join what has all the hallmarks of a social movement across integrated care. Its success, they believe, is because it is bringing about the change that clinicians know is right for their patients – something they've always wanted to do. Staff now feel empowered and excited, with the freedom to ...

Professional groups driving change toward patient-centred care: interprofessional working in stroke rehabilitation in Denmark

Patient-centred care based on needs has been gaining momentum in health policy and the workforce. This creates new demand for interprofessional teams and redefining roles and tasks of professionals, yet little is known on how to improve new health policies more effectively. Their aim was to analyse the role and capacity of healht professions in driving organisational change in interprofessional working and patient-centred care.

Utilization of community-based health planning and services compounds in the Kintampo North Municipality: a cross-sectional descriptive correlational study

The Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) initiative was introduced to improve coverage and utilization of basic health services for people in remote rural communities whose use of orthodox health services was hitherto limited by distance. So the objectives of this study were to examine the extent of patronage of CHPS compounds in the Kintampo North Municipality , factors associated with their use and challenges faced by community members regarding the use of these facilities. 

Instruments Measuring Integrated Care: A Systematic Review of Measurement Properties

Integrated care is an important strategy for increasing health system performance. Despite ots growing significance, detailed evidence on the measurement properties of integrated care instruments remains vague and limited. This systematic review aims to provide evidence on the state of the art in measuring integrated care. 

Global collaborative healthcare: assessing the resource requirements at a leading Academic Medical Center

Academic Medical Centers ("AMCs") have served as a hub of the United States ("US") health system and represented the state-of-the art in American health care for well over century. Currently, the AMCs have engaged in global collaborative healthcare, employing different models based on services offered, global distribution, and inclination to assume risk. Engaging in these collaborations requires significant effort from across the health system, and an understanding of the resources required is paramount for effective delivery and to avoid overextension and diversion from the primary mission of these organizations. 

Managing multimorbidity: profiles of integrated care approaches targeting people with multiple chronic conditions in Europe

In response to the growing populations of people with multiple chronic deseases, new models of care are currently being developed in European countries to better meet the needs of these people. This paper aims to describe the occurrence and characteristics of various types of ntegrated care practices in European countries that target people with multimorbidity.