ESR 9: Transitional care impact of integrated care projects

Early Stage Researcher 9 - Merel Leithaus - KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Transitional care impact of integrated care projects

Project update:
The objective of this PhD is to evaluate the impact of integrative care projects (ICP’s) on improving transitional care for senior citizens. Therefore, the Belgian health care reform plan “Integrated Care for Better Health” (Integreo) will be followed and evaluated by conducting a mixed method approach. Currently, Merel is working on the quantitative analysis that aims to detect transitional care changes over time in seniors that were included in the ICP’s compared to non-included seniors. In order to analyze possible effects on transitional care outcomes, routinely collected data will mainly be used.

Project leaders:
Prof. Dr. Johan Flamaing, Prof.dr. Geert Goderis, Dr. Mieke Deschodt
Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Objectives of the project:

• To evaluate how population based Integrated Care Programs can improve senior citizens’ transitions from home to hospital care and vice versa; and
• To explore barriers and facilitators for future implementation of these programs.

Expected results:

• An overview of evidence for transitional care improvement in government-initiated, ongoing integrated care initiatives in Belgium.
• On overview that relates transitional care improvements to intervention components in the various projects.
• An overview of facilitators and barriers for implementation of the integrated care initiatives based on interviews with participants and stakeholders in the projects, as to inform future implementation efforts and/or adaptation of the initiatives when needed.

Secondments:

• Academic secondment & Joint degree university 1:
  Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
  Supervisor: Dr. Hilde Verbeek
• Non-academic secondment:
  Landsbond der Christelijke Mutualiteiten (Alliance of Christian Sickness Funds), Brussels, Belgium.
  Supervisor: Luc Van Gorp