title: Health care agreements as a tool for coordinating health and social services.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2007, a substantial reform changed the administrative boundaries of the Danish health care system and introduced health care agreements to be signed between municipal and regional authorities. To assess the health care agreements as a tool for coordinating health and social services, a survey was conducted before (2005-2006) and after the reform (2011).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was designed on the basis of a modified version of Alter and Hage's framework for conceptualising coordination. Both surveys addressed all municipal level units (n = 271/98) and a random sample of general practitioners (n = 700/853).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The health care agreements were considered more useful for coordinating care than the previous health plans. The power relationship between the regional and municipal authorities in drawing up the agreements was described as more equal. Familiarity with the agreements among general practitioners was higher, as was the perceived influence of the health care agreements on their work.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health care agreements with specific content and with regular follow-up and systematic mechanisms for organising feedback between collaborative partners exemplify a useful tool for the coordination of health and social services.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are substantial improvements with the new health agreements in terms of formalising a better coordination of the health care system.
authors.affiliation: Center for Healthy Aging, Section for Health Services Research, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rudkjøbing
authors.affiliation: Section for Health Services, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strandberg-Larsen
authors.affiliation: Section for Health Services Research, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vrangbaek
authors.affiliation: Section for General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: John Sahl
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.affiliation: Center for Healthy Aging, Section for Health Services Research, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krasnik
keywords: Denmark; National Health System; coordinated care; health planning; integrated care