Abstract
Integrated healthcare delivery is a policy goal of healthcare systems. There is no consensus on how to measure the concept, which makes it difficult to monitor progress. To identify the different types of methods used to measure integrated healthcare delivery with emphasis on structural, cultural and process aspects. Medline/Pubmed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, WHOLIS, and conventional internet search engines were systematically searched for methods to measure integrated healthcare delivery (published - April 2008). Twenty-four published scientific papers and documents met the inclusion criteria. In the 24 references we identified 24 different measurement methods; however, 5 methods shared theoretical framework. The methods can be categorized according to type of data source: a) questionnaire survey data, b) automated register data, or c) mixed data sources. The variety of concepts measured reflects the significant conceptual diversity within the field, and most methods lack information regarding validity and reliability. Several methods have been developed to measure integrated healthcare delivery; 24 methods are available and some are highly developed. The objective governs the method best used. Criteria for sound measures are suggested and further developments should be based on an explicit conceptual framework and focus on simplifying and validating existing methods.
Highlights
Integrated healthcare delivery plays an increasingly important role in current healthcare reform efforts, not least in European countries, adapting US managed care concepts [1–3]
In the 24 references we identified 24 different measurement methods; 5 methods shared theoretical framework
A special category is the methods developed by international consortiums (Table 2), which are mainly relevant for macro-level accreditation processes or international health system comparisons
Summary
Integrated healthcare delivery plays an increasingly important role in current healthcare reform efforts, not least in European countries, adapting US managed care concepts [1–3]. Political and socio-demographic forces have moved the modern healthcare system beyond the largely reactive acute care paradigm to a more holistic paradigm emphasizing optimization of the population’s health [4]. Many healthcare providers believe that integrated healthcare delivery will lead to higher quality care at a lower cost while maintaining or improving the recipients’ health and satisfaction. Policymakers and system planners are striving to build and manage healthcare systems that can accommodate delivery of. Integrated healthcare delivery is a policy goal of healthcare systems. Purpose: To identify the different types of methods used to measure integrated healthcare delivery with emphasis on structural, cultural and process aspects
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