IPCHS. Integrated People-Centred Health Services

Publications

This growing repository holds WHO documents, scientific publications, policy documents, implementation reports, presentations and others with information and insights about integrated people-centred health services. Share your publication by clicking “Add publication”.

Sept. 14, 2023 Africa South-East Asia Eastern Mediterranean Western Pacific

Primary health care case studies in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

Overview

 Since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has showcased the importance of primary health care (PHC) and revealed health system strengths as well as weaknesses.

As a defining global and national policy priority, COVID-19 has had enormous impacts on country health systems, often unveiling inequities as well as governance, stewardship and leadership challenges. COVID-19 demonstrates that trust between communities and service providers, and effective collaboration across sectors, are essential elements of successful public health responses and primary care continuity. 

In 2015, the Alliance commissioned Primary Health Care Systems (PRIMASYS) case studies in twenty low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Building on these ...

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July 24, 2023 Eastern Mediterranean

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 ...

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Feb. 20, 2023 Eastern Mediterranean

Continuity of Care and Coordination of Care: Can they Be Differentiated?

Both care continuity and coordination are considered essential elements of health care system. However, little is known about the relationship between care continuity and coordination. This study aimed to differentiate the concepts of care continuity and coordination by developing and testing the reliability and validity of the Combined Outpatient Care Continuity and Coordination Assessment (COCCCA) questionnaire under the universal coverage health care system in Taiwan from a patient perspective.

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Feb. 16, 2023 Africa Eastern Mediterranean

Patient-centered care in the Middle East and North African region: a systematic literature review

The need for patient centered care (PCC) and its subsequent implementation has gained policy maker attention worldwide. Despite the evidence showing the benefits and the challenges associated with practicing PCC in western countries there has been no comprehensive review of the literature on PCC practice in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region, yet there is good reason to think that the practices of PCC in these regions would be different.

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Nov. 23, 2022 Eastern Mediterranean

Patients’ preferences for telemedicine versus in-clinic consultation in primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Hybrid Patient Care system integrates telehealth and in-clinic consultation. While COVID-19 increased telehealth use, healthcare providers are still seeking the best combination of virtual and in-clinic consultation. Understanding patients’ tele-consultation-related preferences is vital for achieving optimal implementation. The discrete choice experiment (DCE) is the stated preference technique for eliciting individual preferences and is increasingly being used in health-related applications. The study purpose was to evaluate attributes and levels of the DCE regarding patients’ preferences for telemedicine versus traditional, in-clinic consultation in primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to facilitate successful implementation.

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Sept. 20, 2022 Europe Eastern Mediterranean

Challenges, progress, opportunities: European and Central Asian health systems

New WHO studies look at health systems across 14 countries in Europe and Central Asia to reveal how to better invest in the health of millions Allowing policy-makers the chance to compare and collaborate, recent studies from the World Health Organization present countries’ health systems at a glance.

Many citizens in the WHO European Region are fortunate to live in countries where the health system can look after them when they fall ill. But sadly, for millions of others, falling ill means having to choose between paying for medical treatment and paying for food, education and other necessities.

In some ...

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April 4, 2022 Eastern Mediterranean

Oral health-related interdisciplinary practices among healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia: Does integrated care exist?

There is a bidirectional relation between oral and general health, therefore collaboration between healthcare providers is needed. This study investigated current interdisciplinary practices and the associated factors among healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia.

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March 31, 2022 Eastern Mediterranean

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on primary health care utilization: an experience from Iran

The Covid-19 pandemic affected the performance of Primary Health Care (PHC) worldwide. This study was performed to investigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the utilization of PHC in Iran. Covid-19 Pandemic has affected the performance of Iranian PHC at the beginning and overall, has a negative consequence on utilization of services. Preparedness to respond to pandemics and develop programs and interventions is necessary to cover the weaknesses of the PHC.

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March 17, 2022 Eastern Mediterranean

Nurses’ perceived barriers to the delivery of person-centred care to complex patients: A qualitative study using theoretical domains framework

Complex patients have multiple physical and mental health problems, and their life is also greatly affected by sociocultural and economic determinants of health. These patients require person-centred care, but nurses often find it challenging to provide effective care to these patients due to their complex health needs. This study aims to determine nurses’ perceived barriers to the delivery of person-centred care to complex patients with multiple chronic conditions in acute care settings.

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Jan. 10, 2022 Eastern Mediterranean

Person-centred care and short oral treatment for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis improve retention in care in Kandahar, Afghanistan

Aknowledging that people living with TB face multiple challenges in addition to TB disease and that better access to new diagnostic or treatment tools alone cannot improve RR-TB care outcomes, person-centred care has been introduced as one of the pillars of the EndTB strategy, which calls for integration of health services, inclusion of social support as part of clinical care. Therefore, person-centred care delivery and treatment regimens were adapted to better fit specific contextual challenges and the needs of the target population, retention in care improved among people with RR-TB in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

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