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Mergers and integrated care: the Quebec experience.
1École nationale d'administration publique, 555, boulevard Charest Est, Québec (Québec), G1K 9E5, Canada.
International Journal of Integrated Care
|May 21, 2013
Summary
Healthcare mergers in Quebec impede integrated care unless staff desire them. Local actors should choose integration models, supported by resources and incentives, for better cooperation and service delivery.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Healthcare Management
- Public Health Policy
Background:
- The Quebec healthcare system has undergone numerous mergers aimed at integrating health and social services.
- These mergers are often promoted as essential for overcoming service fragmentation and organizational silos.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of healthcare mergers on the integration of health and social services in Quebec.
- To determine the conditions under which mergers facilitate or hinder integrated care.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive review of studies on healthcare mergers and integrated care initiatives in Quebec.
- Analysis of the perspectives and experiences of stakeholders involved in merged healthcare organizations.
Main Results:
- Mergers do not guarantee integrated care; they must be desired by all stakeholders and perceived as effective solutions to organizational problems.
- Conversely, mergers can obstruct integrated care by increasing bureaucracy, standardization, and fostering staff mistrust and conflict.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare mergers are not inherently beneficial for integrated care in Quebec.
- Empowering local actors to select and implement context-specific integration models, with adequate resources and incentives, is a more effective approach.
- Fostering cooperation among healthcare organizations is crucial for successful service integration.
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