Integrating care in Queensland

In 2015 Queensland Health (QH) published My Health, Queensland Future: Advancing Health, which committed to pursuing innovation through developing and capitalising on evidence and models that work for both patients and providers. An integral part of this vision is the promotion and translation of research into better care practices, and in so doing, connecting healthcare services. These resulting partnerships aim to deliver and connect services with a focus on avoiding potentially preventable hospitalisations. In January 2016, the Queensland Government announced the Integrated Care Innovation Fund (ICIF), committing $35M to improving outcomes for patients with chronic and complex conditions through better integration of services. The aim of the ICIF was to invest in locally led initiatives that generate new ideas for improving the integration of health care services, providing patient focused services for chronic and complex diseases. Hospital and Health Service demonstrator sites are now working in partnership with Primary Health Networks and other health agencies in primary care and the not-for-profit private sector to develop and progress a holistic approach to integrated care. Although the main focus of integrated care is health, it also considers the social determinants of health, and the need to address the coordination and provision of services for patients with a full understanding of local factors. Twenty three projects are in progress and working toward implementation supported by a robust evaluation using the methodology of implementation science, health systems research and an economic analysis. This paper will discuss the challenges of implementing a complex state-wide program such as this, the need to be agile and for continual policy input into our approach to integrated healthcare at all levels of the health system.  It will discuss how we can leverage off the current reform in primary health care and influence how QH moves towards providing value based care.