SUSTAIN: Duurzame op de person afgestemde integrale zorg voor thuiswonende ouderen in Europa

Background:
Population ageing and the economic crisis have put pressure on European health systems. Presently, it is not known what the best way is to respond to these challenges. In an increasing number of EU Member States, a diverse range of integrated care initiatives are being put in place as new models for safe and efficient, prevention-oriented care to an increasing number of older people. There is little knowledge of how to successfully implement integrated care and of how to transfer successful initiatives to other regions and health systems. Improvements to existing initiatives are necessary to make them more patient-centred, prevention-oriented, efficient, and safe.

Goals:
The overall aims of SUSTAIN are therefore twofold: 1. to improve established integrated care initiatives for older people living at home with multiple health and social care needs, ensuring they are patient-centred, prevention-oriented, efficient, and safe; 2. to ensure that improvements to the integrated care initiatives are applicable and adaptable to other health systems and regions in Europe.

Methods:
In 7 countries, established integrated care initiatives will therefore be improved in co-creation with local stakeholders. The implementation processes and overall evaluation will be guided by our multi-methodological approach, the Evidence Integration Triangle. Overarching analyses will be undertaken to compare and integrate data from the different sites to robustly identify what works for whom, in what context and with what outcome.