Information Infrastructures for Health Care: Connecting Practices Across Institutional and Professional Boundaries

Excerpt

The health care sector is characterized by an increasing shortage of personnel and ceaselessly growing costs caused by the development of new treatment methods combined with increasing demands for treatment that are associated with an aging population and an increase in chronic diseases. Against this backdrop, policy makers, health care professionals and researchers alike have shown an increased interest in innovative systems of care, which can improve communication, coordination, and collaboration among care providers, both in primary care and specialty services (e.g. clinics, hospitals, and emergency departments). Concepts like shared care, integrated care and continuity of care are indicative of an increased interest in creating coherent and effective health care services for patients that require complex—and often long-term—care. Although these concepts are often used in relation to projects seeking to enhance communication, coordination, and collaboration in relation to particular patient groups, they also have bearing on more general visions of reorganizing health care. …