Question

Describe the four main integrating mechanisms and explain how each contributes to the continuum of care.

Answer 1

The four main integrating mechanisms

• Inter-entity management and structure
• Case management
• Integrated information system
• Integrated financing

1.inter-entity management and structure

Management structure, processes and realistic can be put in place to facilitate coordination of care across services.considerable work was done in this area during the 1980s,the period when hospitals expanded into medical centres, and added nursing facilities, home care agencies, and urgent care centres or started health plan. This expanded vision of health care organizations, not however,been sustained. Leaders who tried to integrate too much too fast came to realize that the health care is a local business.A few highly integrated system remains and the lessons learned about how to integrate at a management level will be hopes,be remembered when the pendulum of integration swings back.

2.case management

When organizational structure and payment system are fragmented some way must be found to coordinate clinical care.In the absence of true integration, case management has been the most popular means of activity coordination of clinical care by a designated professional.

3.Integrated information system

An integrated information system is the final and perhaps most essential,key to creating a seamless continuum of care from the clinical perspective.Information system that combine management, utilization and clinical data over time and across settings enables calculations about the total cost of complex or chronic care,which is in turn allow accurate financial projection about the total cost of care over time.so it is a key to full financing.

4.Integrated financing

The united states explored several variations of integrated financing that produced both models of integrated care and data concerning the impact of integrated financing on health care spending and quality outcomes.Medicare has superficially promoting managed care,it has done so in a way that makes its fee-for- service system more attractive consumers and providers.