Integrated care

About: Integrated care is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 7318 publications have been published within this topic receiving 106960 citations. The topic is also known as: Integrated Delivery of Health Care & Delivery of Health Care, Integrated.

The SELFIE Framework for Integrated Care for Multi-Morbidity

Abstract: There is an increasing prevalence of multi-morbidity, which is associated with lower quality of life and higher expenditures, and constitutes a challenge to current, often fragmented, care provision. Integrated care programmes appear to be a promising solution. However, the dialogue on such programmes needs to be streamlined to ensure continuation, wider implementation and sustainable financing. The SELFIE framework provides a means to ensure such a dialogue by structuring relevant concepts of integrated care for multi-morbidity. The framework can be used to describe, develop, implement and evaluate integrated care programmes for multi-morbidity.

Multispecialty physician networks in Ontario.

Abstract: Background: Large multispecialty physician group practices, with a central role for primary care practitioners, have been shown to achieve high-quality, low-cost care for patients with chronic disease. We assessed the extent to which informal multispecialty physician networks in Ontario could be identified by using health administrative data to exploit natural linkages among patients, physicians, and hospitals based on existing patient flow. Methods: We linked each Ontario resident to his or her usual provider of primary care over the period from fiscal year 2008/2009 to fiscal year 2010/2011. We linked each specialist to the hospital where he or she performed the most inpatient services. We linked each primary care physician to the hospital where most of his or her ambulatory patients were admitted for non-maternal medical care. Each resident was then linked to the same hospital as his or her usual provider of primary care. We computed “loyalty” as the proportion of care to network residents provided by physicians and hospitals within their network. Smaller clusters were aggregated to create networks based on a minimum population size, distance, and loyalty. Networks were not constrained geographically. Results: We identified 78 multispecialty physician networks, comprising 12 410 primary care physicians, 14 687 specialists, and 175 acute care hospitals serving a total of 12 917 178 people. Median network size was 134 723 residents, 125 primary care physicians, and 143 specialists. Virtually all eligible residents were linked to a usual provider of primary care and to a network. Most specialists (93.5%) and primary care physicians (98.2%) were linked to a hospital. Median network physician loyalty was 68.4% for all physician visits and 81.1% for primary care visits. Median non-maternal admission loyalty was 67.4%. Urban networks had lower loyalties and were less selfcontained but had more health care resources. Interpretation: We demonstrated the feasibility of identifying informal multispecialty physician networks in Ontario on the basis of patterns of health care–seeking behaviour. Networks were reasonably self-contained, in that individual residents received most of their care from providers within their respective networks. Formal constitution of networks could foster accountability for efficient, integrated care through care management tools and qual ity improvement, the ideas behind “accountable care organizations.”

An integrated care facilitation model improves quality of life and reduces use of hospital resources by patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic heart failure

Abstract: As part of the Department of Human Services Hospital Admissions Risk Program (HARP), a group of acute and community based health care providers located in the western suburbs of Melbourne formed a consortium to reduce the demand on hospital emergency services and improve health outcomes for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic heart failure (CHF). The model of care was designed by a team of multidisciplinary specialists and medical consultants. In addition to receiving normal care, patients recruited to the project were assessed by 'Care Facilitators', who identified unmet health care needs and provided information, advice and education for the patient concerning their condition and self-management. Patients declining recruitment received all normal care services. The patients' rates of emergency department (ED) presentations, inpatient admissions and hospital inpatient bed-days before and after their recruitment were calculated from the Western Health patient activity records, and pre- versus post-recruitment rates were compared using ANOVA. Changes relative to the ongoing use by those who declined recruitment were compared using the group-by-time interaction. Patient health outcomes were assessed using established disease-specific tools, and pre- versus post-recruitment values were compared using paired t-tests. Patients recruited to the COPD project reduced (P<0.05) their emergency presentations, admissions and hospital inpatient bed-days by 10, 25 and 18%, respectively, whereas those declining recruitment increased their usage by 45, 41 and 51% respectively. Recruited CHF patients also displayed reductions in emergency presentations (39%), admissions (36%) and hospital inpatient bed-days (33%), whereas those who declined recruitment displayed lesser reductions for ED presentations (26%) and admissions (20%), and increased their use of hospital inpatient bed-days (15%). The recruited COPD patients reported a significant reduction in their symptoms (P<0.005) and the CHF patients reported an improvement in their overall health and quality of life scores (P<0.001). The outcome measures used in this evaluation suggest that an integrated care facilitation model that is patient focussed, provides an education component to promote greater self-management compliance and delivers a continuum of care through the acute and community health sectors, may reduce the utilisation of acute health care facilities and benefit the patient.

Mobile Health (mHealth) technology for improved screening, patient involvement and optimising integrated care in atrial fibrillation: The mAFA (mAF-App) II randomised trial.

Abstract: Background Current management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is limited by low detection of AF, non-adherence to guidelines and lack of consideration of patient's preferences, thus highlighting the need for a holistic and integrated approach to AF management. This study aims to determine whether a mHealth technology-supported AF integrated management strategy will reduce AF-related adverse events. Methods/design The mAFA II trial is a prospective, cluster randomised controlled trial. The 40 sites will be randomised to mAFA-integrated care intervention or usual care arms. Prior to randomisation, study sites will be paired to be matched in size and the proportion of study eligible patients. All AF patients aged over 18 years old with CHA2 DS2 -VASc score ≥ 2 will be enrolled. Assuming a composite adverse event rate of 10% pre-intervention, reduced to 5% after intervention, we aim to recruit 3660 patients assuming a 10% loss to follow-up. The primary study endpoint is a composite of stroke/thromboembolism, all-cause death and rehospitalisation. Ancillary analyses would determine patient-related outcome measures, health economics and cost effectiveness, as well as an embedded qualitative study. Discussion The mAFA II trial will provide evidence for an integrated care approach to holistic AF care, supported by mobile health technology to improve screening, patient involvement and optimisation of management.