Coordination and integration in health care. The concepts for the next reform – part I
Coordination and integration in health care. The concepts for the next reform – part I

Summary/Abstract: The concept of coordinated and related integrated health care is playing an increasingly important role in modern health care systems. Societies’ changing health profile, particularly in developed countries, together with the growing complexity of the health care process necessitates searching for, and implementing, solutions to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the existing systems. This is particularly necessary when there are no opportunities for a rapid and substantial increase in funding. The substance of the planned and implemented changes is the transition from episodic, fragmented, and dispersed treatment of diseases towards the provision of coordinated health care – with a varied degree of integration – which would ensure that patients receive comprehensive and continuous treatment ensured by cooperation between the health care, social care and education sectors. Achieving solution to the above challenges is included in the concept of coordinated and integrated health care, some elements of which are being implemented in the Polish system of health care. The purpose of this paper is to present the essential aspects of the philosophy of coordinated health care and the often related concept of integration in the health care system. The starting point for this consideration of the concept of coordinated health care is its origin and its development to date. The paper also focuses on the attempts made to implement the concept in the Polish health care system and on the currently formulated proposals concerning this matter.

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