Measuring healthcare integration: Operationalization of a framework for a systems evaluation of palliative care structures, processes, and outcomes

Background:Healthcare integration is a priority in many countries, yet there remains little direction on how to systematically evaluate this construct to inform further development. The examination of community-based palliative care networks provides an ideal opportunity for the advancement of integration measures, in consideration of how fundamental provider cohesion is to effective care at end of life.Aim:This article presents a variable-oriented analysis from a theory-based case study of a palliative care network to help bridge the knowledge gap in integration measurement.Design:Data from a mixed-methods case study were mapped to a conceptual framework for evaluating integrated palliative care and a visual array depicting the extent of key factors in the represented palliative care network was formulated.Setting/participants:The study included data from 21 palliative care network administrators, 86 healthcare professionals, and 111 family caregivers, all from an established palliative care network in O...