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.

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. 

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 ...

Successes and challenges of primary health care in Australia: A scoping review and comparative analysis

Australia has achieved universal health insurance for its population since 1975 - a major step forward for increasing access to primary care (PC). Nevertheless, there are reports of several multi-layered challenges, including inequity, that persist. This analysis aims to undertake a scoping review of the success, explanatory factors, and challenges of Primary Health Care (PHC) in Australia guided by the World Health Organization (WHO)-defined key characteristics of good PC.

Case study of an integrated health and social care initiative for geriatric patients in rural Alberta

Rural regions in Canada are aging faster than urban centers, but access to health and social care is limited. Integrated health and social care (IHSC) through collaboration across different health and social care organizations can support enhanced care for older adults living in rural regions. However, IHSC is not well understood within a rural Canadian context.

Inter-Disciplinary Work in the Context of Integrated Care – a Theoretical and Methodological Framework

Inter-disciplinary team working is an essential mechanism for the delivery of integrated care. This paper summarises a narrative review of the research on the ‘work’ that teams do to develop inter-disciplinary practices, addressing the question ‘How do interdisciplinary teams ‘become’ in the context of models of integrated care?’.

The narrative review identities a gap in our understanding of the active boundary work that different disciplines working together to deliver care integration engage in when creating new interdisciplinary knowledge, creating an inter-disciplinary team identity and negotiating new social and power relations. This gap is particularly significant in relation to the role ...

Use of a Self-Report Electronic Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment by an Interprofessional Integrated Care Team to Support Older Adults Living with Frailty: A Pilot Project

Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is effective in supporting older persons with frailty, though access remains limited by human resource shortages. We investigated the feasibility and acceptability of a self-re- port CGA instrument to support care planning by an Integrated Care Team (ICT).