The British Columbia Ministry of Health has expressed a goal of integrating primary and community care and providing as many health care services as possible in the community. The objective of this project is to conduct a quantitative evaluation of these programs. The specific focus of this evaluation is on their effects on health care services use, such as visits to emergency departments, admissions to acute care, and admission to long-term residential care.
Lead Investigator:
|
Team Members:
|
The British Columbia Ministry of Health has expressed a goal of integrating primary and community care and providing as many health care services as possible in the community. Starting in 2012, Health Authorities in BC received funding for initiatives they developed that would accelerate integration, for example better connecting community-based services after people are discharged from acute inpatient care.
The objective of this project is to conduct a quantitative evaluation of these programs. The specific focus of this evaluation is on their effects on health care services use, such as visits to emergency departments, admissions to acute care, and admission to long-term residential care. We will develop a detailed methodological plan and conduct the analyses in collaboration with an Advisory Committee that will include representatives from each Health Authority and the Ministry of Health.
We are a multi-disciplinary team of researchers with expertise ranging from health economics and health research methodology to nursing, primary care and home and community care. We will use a rigorous observational study design to estimate changes in use of health care services that can be attributed to the integrated primary and community care interventions. We anticipate this research will provide useful evidence to the Ministry of Health and Health Authorities and may also seed further qualitative and quantitative research on continuing innovations in the BC health care system.