Patient focused healthcare: an important concept for provision and management of space and services to the healtcare sector

Headnote

Keywords

Health services, Patients, Strategic management, Sweden

Abstract

How will the relationship between patients, the service level and the geographic conditions in healthcare develop in the future? The task will be of great impact for location of new properties and the use of existing healthcare buildings. In order to improve healthcare space requirements, it is important to understand the expression "horizontal integrated care". Defining terms will enhance the communication between providers, companies and individuals. The research also looks into the phenomenon of "local hospital". The first step is to analyse these terms and describe the definitions from collected material obtained by a questionnaire, interviews and searches on the Web. The main issue is to give the conception a broad validity. This study gives a definition that can be shared by most parties in healthcare today and will enhance the communication in healthcare issues.

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Introduction

The terms "close care" and "horizontal integrated care" (HIC) have lately almost become "buzz words" for the county councils in Sweden. In a new report concerning a new university hospital it is pointed out that HIC will be responsible for units that previously have been located in the emergency hospitals. "However, what is the meaning of close care and HIC? People give different meanings to the words which causes problems" says the director of the healthcare purchaser organisation in Stockholm, Lars-Bertil Arvidsson (Stockholm County Council, 2002). This extract is from an information pamphlet. It points out the need for Swedish healthcare to analyse and define these concepts, which has become common in the healthcare field. The concepts "close care" and HIC are more commonly used now even though there is no clear definition or common understanding. These concepts are sometimes pointed out as the solution of all problems in the healthcare sector. In "The budget and follow-up for the year 1996", Östergötland County Council wrote: "The concept of HIC is a strong base to develop the healthcare in the future ..." (Landstinget i Östergötland, 1996).

The trade union "Swedish Association of Health Professionals" has published a pamphlet with the title: Close Care -...