Two documents have been created as part of a series of support technical products and tools to drive country implementation of the framework on Integrated People-Centred Health Services, (IPCHS).
The first is Continuity and Coordination of Care, which highlights the broad and overlapping nature of the two concepts that can improve the experience of people with chronic care and support needs; enhance provider experience; improve health outcomes and increase health system performance.
It provides a taxonomy and priority practice interventions for health managers and practitioners, with a focus on practical actions that can support implementation of these practices. It also includes 30 global practice examples that have shown impact at the micro, meso and/or macro level.
Development was led by WHO staff from HQ with the principal writing team consisting of staff from the International Centre for Integrated Care at the University of the West of Scotland.
The second document, released alongside, is an updated version of the Advocacy Brief on the IPCHS Framework which aims to explain to policy and decision-makers working at national and sub-national levels the WHO’s ambitious agenda for service delivery reform in the context of health systems, UHC and the SDGs in a short and easy-to-read way.
Work continues on additional materials, including the position paper on ‘Hospitals on the path to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Integrated people-centred health services (IPCHS)’, the policy brief on ‘Innovation’ and the ‘Critical pathways towards IPCHS’.
Nick Goodwin, IFIC’s CEO, said: “Effective care coordination lies at the heart of successful approaches to integrated care. This not only requires a sophisticated response in the coordination of services and care professionals, but a person-centred approach that engages patients, carers and families in taking control over the health issues. IFIC looks ahead to continue to endorse and help to support the adoption of WHO’s global framework in the years ahead”.