Improving Interaction in Integrated Chronic Care Management

Abstract

Health and social care services are under increasing pressure to come up with adequate solutions to manage the demand and supply equation. Integrated care is one way to deal with this wicked problem, but new approaches and service implementation strategies are necessary to realize its full value and quality of outcome. Focusing on the four relevant 'blocks of interaction' identified by Prahalad and Ramaswamy, the paper examines the key role of information and communication technology (ICT) in facilitating the integrated care effort. It then develops those insights into a set of DART-informed guiding principles of practical use to decision-makers and IS/IT developers in the design of resource integration mechanisms for the management of chronic care settings. The paper uses home care services as a blueprint.