title: A framework for understanding outcomes of integrated care programs for the hospitalised elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Integrated care has emerged as a new strategy to enhance the quality of care for hospitalised elderly. Current models do not provide insight into the mechanisms underlying integrated care delivery. Therefore, we developed a framework to identify the underlying mechanisms of integrated care delivery. We should understand how they operate and interact, so that integrated care programmes can enhance the quality of care and eventually patient outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interprofessional collaboration among professionals is considered to be critical in integrated care delivery due to many interdependent work requirements. A review of integrated care components brings to light a distinction between the cognitive and behavioural components of interprofessional collaboration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Effective integrated care programmes combine the interacting components of care delivery. These components affect professionals' cognitions and behaviour, which in turn affect quality of care. Insight is gained into how these components alter the way care is delivered through mechanisms such as combining individual knowledge and actively seeking new information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We expect that insight into the cognitive and behavioural mechanisms will contribute to the understanding of integrated care programmes. The framework can be used to identify the underlying mechanisms of integrated care responsible for producing favourable outcomes, allowing comparisons across programmes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medical Sciences, Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hartgerink
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medical Sciences, Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jane M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cramm
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Service and Management of Organizations, Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jeroen D H
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: van Wijngaarden
authors.affiliation: Argos Zorggroep, Voorberghlaan, Schiedam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ton J E M
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Bakker
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Mackenbach
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medical Sciences, Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anna P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Nieboer
keywords: Framework; elderly; hospital; integrated care; professional collaboration; team work