How to improve care integration, coordination and continuity? Designing policy from population needs and preferences

We are using an approach that combines preferences elicitation methods, analyses of secondary datasets and micro-simulation models to highlight optimal care strategies for population groups with homogenous needs and preferences. Our project focuses on the 50+ population, which is most likely to benefit from improvements in chronic care management, with one in five individuals having multiple chronic conditions beyond the age of 50.

The main objectives of the project are:

1. To measure continuity of care (COC) in the 50+ population, describe the characteristics of population groups with poor COC, and therefore, understand which groups would benefit most from better care coordination and integration
2. To elicit preferences of the 50+ Swiss population for characteristics of coordinated chronic care models and assess the acceptability of organizational changes.
3. To analyze the potential health economic impact and sustainability of new integrated chronic care models that are in line with 50+ population preferences.