Overview
A 2020 meta-analysis by the University of Oxford and the International Foundation for Integrated Care reviewed 34 studies on integrated care.
Studies focused on case management, care teams, service coordination, care pathways, and disease management.
Insights
Integrated care reduces costs and improves outcomes.
- Evidence varies and is of moderate quality with potential biases.
- Observational studies show better outcomes than experimental studies.
- Disease management programs are especially effective.
- European studies show smaller improvements compared to Australia/Asia.
- Longer studies (over 12 months) show better results
Impact
Total (all 34 studies):
- Cost: 6% reduction (1%-10%)
- Quality: 6% improvement (5%-8%)
Studies > 12 Months:
- Cost: 13% reduction (6%-20%)
- Quality: 15% improvement (11%-18%)
For a system spending £10 million annually on chronic care:
- Savings: £1.3m gross cost reduction (13%)
- Quality: 15% reduction in readmissions, 15% improvement in patient satisfaction
