We can never downplay the power of integrated health care systems in sustaining healthcare systems in Singapore and beyond. And this doesn’t come as a surprise considering it allows for the ease of planning and implementing integrated health systems. This, in turn, leads to better healthcare services among patients and communities at large.
Going with the ever-increasing staff shortages, cost inflation and service demand in Singapore, it is now vital that we use scarce resources through integrated service delivery models. Having said that, this article takes you through the top principles for integrated health care systems that allow for restructuring, organizational flexibility and adaptation to local context.
Organizational Structure and Leadership
For the successful implementation and operation of an integrated health care system, you can never risk skimping on organizational structure and leadership. Overlapping cultures such as differences between medical service providers and long-term care services can lead to failed integration efforts.
Another cultural hurdle that may affect the effective performance of integrated health care systems is an acute care mindset. After all, it places the hospital at the center of the integration process. While some medical practitioners may not notice anything wrong with this, it tends to run counter to the concept of integrated, population-based health-care delivery.
Prioritize Performance Management
The overall success of integrated health care systems depends on perfectly-developed performance monitoring systems that include indicators to measure the outcomes at different levels. For those who might not know, performance management entails the use of a structured approach to analyze performance issues and how they might be depressed.
It is worth noting that there are protocols and procedures that specifically reflect the essence of measuring care processes and outcomes. With performance management, the focus is mostly on cost-effectiveness. Luckily, some integrated health care systemshave mechanisms that link compensation to indicator-based performance.
Rounding Up
Successful health systems integration is vital if patients and communities are to reap maximum benefits. You don’t have to go through a lot since companies such as 1FSS are now making this possible in Singapore.
As a quick reminder, 1FSS takes up the role of enhancing public healthcare sector’s performance by unlocking synergies and economies of scale in finance transaction processing. They aim to drive optimal performance through the centralization of shared services and through the digitization and automation of finance transaction processing.
