A national study on collaboration in care planning for patients with complex needs

The purpose of this study was to investigate inter-organisational collaboration on care planning for patients with complex care needs. Internationally, and in Sweden where the data for this study was collected, difficulties in care planning and transition of patients between the main health care providers, hospitals, municipal care, and primary care are well known.

A survey of a total population of care managers in hospitals, municipalities, and primary care in Sweden was conducted. The study assessed accessibility, willingness, trustworthiness, and collaboration between health care providers. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariate regressions.

The results indicate that Swedish health care providers show strong self-awareness, but they describe each other's ability to collaborate as weak. Primary care stands out, displaying the highest discrepancy between self-awareness and displayed accessibility, willingness, trustworthiness, and collaboration.

Inability to collaborate in patient care planning may be due to shortcomings in terms of trust between caregivers in the health care organisation at a national level. Organisations that experience difficulties in collaboration tend to defend themselves with arguments about their own excellence and insufficiency of others.