What is an essential feature of integrated care?

An essential feature of integrated care is the coordinated approaches across multiple health sectors. Integrated care seeks to create a seamless experience for patients by ensuring that various healthcare services—such as primary care, specialty care, mental health services, and social supports—work together effectively. This coordination aims to improve patient outcomes, enhance the efficiency of healthcare delivery, and streamline communication among providers.

By facilitating collaboration among different healthcare disciplines, integrated care addresses the complexities of patient needs, particularly for those with chronic conditions who require sustained and multifaceted health management. This approach not only helps provide holistic care but also improves the overall experience for patients as they navigate through different stages of their healthcare journey.

The other options, in contrast, represent principles that are generally contrary to the goals of integrated care. For example, isolating services by specialties can lead to fragmented care and poor communication, focusing solely on episodic care overlooks the importance of long-term management and continuity of care, and limiting patient engagement undermines the principle of patient-centered care which emphasizes the patient's role in their own health decisions.