Co-design with Integrated Care Teams: Establishing Information Needs

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Collaborative Design
• Information Systems

Background:

• Integrated care delivery necessitates effective information sharing across diverse settings.
• Co-design is recognized as crucial for integrated care but lacks methodological reporting.
• Challenges exist in sharing information across professions, services, and localities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a shared understanding of information needs within a new integrated care team using co-design.
• To inform future practices regarding the application and understanding of co-design methodologies.
• To identify key themes and solutions for improving information sharing in integrated care.

Main Methods:

• Two co-design workshops were conducted with integrated care team members and facilitators.
• Workshop 1 focused on understanding current information needs ('Current Position').
• Workshop 2 focused on identifying future needs and solutions ('Future Position'), followed by process reflection.

Main Results:

• A broad spectrum of future service information needs was identified.
• Needs were categorized under Culture Building, Health System Needs, and Processes.
• Four key learning points for co-designing were derived from the process.

Conclusions:

• Co-designing can significantly enhance communication and drive service improvement in integrated care.
• Simplicity in format, interdisciplinary collaboration, and robust planning are essential for successful co-design.
• The study provides practical insights into applying co-design for information needs in integrated care settings.