Author: Mur-Veeman I, van Raak A, Paulus A
Journal: Health Policy, 2008
Volume/pages: Vol 85, pp172-183

About the study
This study compares the integrated care policies of six European countries and how they relate to practice based on a secondary analysis of reports from each country. It explores whether integrated care policy promotes the development of integrated care; the impact of integrated care policy on health and social care organisations and how those organisations influence policy-making.

Findings
The analysis of the six country reports suggests the importance of proactive policy at national, regional and local government levels in order to support the development of effective integrated care although policy on its own is not sufficient to ensure this; it is also dependent on management of coordination, varying professional values and interests across the dividing lines of the systems being integrated.

Key messages

• The successful development and implementation of effective integrated care faces many obstacles.
• Key barriers to integrated care are procedural, financial and professional.
• Fragmentation is an inherent and persistent problem in the provision of integrated care.