The book aims at giving inspiration, support and practical ideas to all engaged in the management of integrated care.
Integrated care for older persons is gaining more and more attention all over Europe. The population is ageing rapidly and older persons themselves are demanding a better quality of care. Scarce resources are a reality and therefore new solutions are needed. Although the care systems vary from country to country, there is still a lot to be learned from each other. In this book, seven authors from six European countries are discussing integrated care and presenting examples they consider as Good Practices of integrated care. The examples present solutions developed and implemented in different welfare regimes in Europe - Bismarckian, Beveridge, Mediterranean and Nordic welfare regimes. The examples emphasise that integrated care is about co-ordination and collaboration, but also about respect and mutual learning. The question is about people—clients, care professionals and managers—and about organisations and networks. Organisations are created by human beings, thus they are also about people. The message is that even though integration may not always be easy, it is possible and can bring benefits – permitted that there is the will for it, and that circumstances support it. The authors of this book want to share their experiences in trying to solve the many problems of managing integrated care for older persons. The book aims at giving inspiration, support and practical ideas to all engaged in the management of integrated care. There are no comprehensive checklists or clear instructions on how to provide good quality integrated care, but several practical examples are available. Even though it is not possible to transfer the models directly from country to country, they may suggest directions to be taken and raise awareness of the importance of good management for successful care integration. The development of integration always takes time and there are no shortcuts. Patience, small steps and convincing visions are required. The process itself is important, not only the results. Managing integrated care is managing change! Copyright STAKES, European Health Management Association (EHMA) and the authors