What do we mean by integrated care? A European interpretation

Abstract

It is suggested that a common understanding of integrated care between multi-professional staff is vital to prevent barriers to unification and quality of care. This paper examines qualitative data from PROCARE, a recently completed European project on integrated care for older people, to put forward an interpretation of what integrated care means to staff. Through thematic analysis, four main clusters were identified. The paper suggests that, while the analysis revealed a common and inter-related European interpretation that was somewhat idealised and moralistic, this was countered by challenges to its implementation that were inseparable from the rhetoric. The paper suggests that a collective, morally strong understanding is unable to prevent barriers to integrated care, and that tensions between services remain a prominent impediment