Research by The Change Foundation revealed at least 11 common elements for success in various communities in Canada and beyond. They include comprehensiveness, patient focus, standardized care, measurement, leadership, culture and funding.

“I think we’ve started in the province,” said Cathy Fooks, Change Foundation president and CEO.

“We have all of those elements (in part),” she said.

Fooks spoke before a group of about 160 healthcare professionals at a recent event in Toronto, ‘LHINs and the New Government’, hosted by the Ontario Hospital Association. She led a session called ‘The Integration Journey: Road Trips from Afar’.

Through The Change Foundation’s research, which has extended across Canada and abroad, Fooks said while each healthcare model has its unique set of circumstances, “the need to integrate delivery in a more organized fashion was common to all as one response to pressures."

Fooks said the first element for success is comprehensiveness. This entails a smooth ride for the patient throughout the service continuum despite multiple points of access. “Cited as the first principle by all,” this encompasses services from primary care through tertiary care and back into the community, Fooks said.

Having a patient-focused care model was also identified as key in making healthcare integration work. “All cite the justification for integrated delivery is to meet patient need.” This often entails redesigning internal processes and transition points to put the patient first.

Another common element was standardized care. “Care in an integrated system ideally can be standardized to support a quality agenda,” Fooks said. This involves using evidence-based clinical care guidelines with inter-professional teams also following the same protocol, she said.

Leadership and a strong culture were also considered key in making an integrated healthcare system work.

Having a tool to measure success and adequate funding were also identified as common important elements, Fooks said.

To read Fook’s presentation in its entirety and learn about all of the 11 elements, visit the Change Foundation’s website and click on ‘The Integration Journey: Road Trips From Afar’.