IFIC 9 Pillars of Integrated Care
Digital technology and information-enabled integrated care
Integrated care depends on the ability to access, share, and act on the right information at the right time. Digital tools are one of the mechanisms that support this, but integrated care is also strengthened through low-tech or no-tech approaches to effective information sharing.
People have better access to their own health information, and this helps improve communication with their teams, supports self-management, and allows for more coordinated and continuous care. Something as simple as having a written care summary, care plan or a reference contact person makes a difference.
At the population level, shared data helps to understand the distribution of health outcomes and the broader social determinants of health. This data helps services plan and respond to local needs more effectively.
Making information systems equitable and effective also means investing in stewardship, trust, fair access, and the skills to use information confidently. That includes supporting digital and data literacy for all users, including people, communities and care providers.
For people and communities
The priorities for digital and information-sharing solutions are determined by the needs of the people and communities, and they are involved in the design, development, and ongoing use of digital and information-sharing solutions. People-led technology development supports digital solutions that meet the real-world needs of people and communities and are responsive to the needs of all population groups.
Digital technologies are used to support people accessing care, improving their health literacy and managing their health and wellbeing. They should enable equitable access to care. Data stewardship and access to information enable trust, autonomy and decision-making while improving data quality and transparency. Digital tools support individual shared care plans.
For care providers
For care providers, digital technology enables the safe collection, storage and sharing of data and information between professionals, other care providers and people to enhance, shared decision-making, continuity and coordination of care and inter-disciplinary team working. The technology also facilitates reporting back to the integrated care system on performance against targets and assessing population health needs with minimal additional effort by care providers. The resulting information is used for population risk stratification, monitoring, learning and performance improvement. Care providers are given personalised digital and data literacy support to manage data and understand information to inform decision-making.
For system-level decision-makers
System-level decision-makers procure fit-for-purpose digital systems and applications to enable integrated care supporting collaboration across providers and the care continuum. These systems foster interoperability, ensuring safe, seamless data collection, storage and information exchange and integration across diverse health and care settings. They also incorporate intelligence to analyse data, driving continuous improvement and informed decision-making. System-level decision-makers have the digital and data literacy to understand population-level data and identify relevant changes, service and pathway redesign to respond to the needs of the population.