Local coordination between levels of care: opportunities and threats

Conference (2012, October 20)

Background: Coordination between levels of care is not compulsory in the Belgian health system. Patients have direct access to specialists. Hence, competition between professionals and fragmentation of ... [more ▼]

Background: Coordination between levels of care is not compulsory in the Belgian health system. Patients have direct access to specialists. Hence, competition between professionals and fragmentation of care do occur, leading to poor quality of care and waste of resources. A strategy that improves communication and coordination between actors and stakeholders at a local scale represents a solution to develop integrative care oriented to people and community. The Local Health System (LHS), launched 15 years ago with some success in specific settings in Belgium, is the model used for this experience. What could be the opportunities and threats to improve coordination between levels of care in various local contexts? [less ▲]