As cost and outcomes of care are duly becoming the main reference points for quality of care, it is important that immanent fragmentation or even chaos in care paths is prevented. Integration should therefore be the relevant trend in health care development 2014. Here we explain three increasing modi of integration in care: co-operation, co-creation and experience co-creation.

Having witnessed the Dutch Health Care Reform (see Wikipedia), it is inspiring to review it to evaluate what processes and forces have initiated the development and formed its course.
Based upon our studies, we construed this presentation

The best digital health app is conversation

Although our attention may be distracted from time to time by a health-related smartphone or tablet app, a health tracking device, a quantified self peripheral, or some another piece of shiny, soon-to-be-outmoded future junk, I hope it is becoming obvious by now that the best digital health app currently available is conversation.
..
So indeed, a change in attitude to listen rather than to speak may help us getting on!

What you may like to prevent just by using social media in health care.
Here’s a Dutch father complaining about the reimbursement of a continuous glucose monitoring system in a national newspaper. For the control of his daughter’s diabetes, who has also a Down syndrome, he is only reimbursed for a normal glucose meter, not the wished for continuous glucose monitoring system.
The father states that the health care insurance company informed him, unsolicited: “We want you to know that continuous monitoring can not be reimbursed.” That’s what it was. He is amazed that the Down condition of his daughter is not a concern to them whatsoever? Shouldn’t it have been taken into account?
..
Origonally posted on “Value innovation in medical and life sciences” ; September 27th, 2009

Recently, I focused on the developments in the technology of implantable pacemakers and defibrillators (http://bit.ly/8VRkZP [1]) . I did so in the course of a consult to one of the affiliates of the cardiac devices industry in the Netherlands. I was asked to think along in the further development of cardiological care around these devices. The intention was to develop what was called as remote monitoring of cardiac devices into a design of an adequate model for integrated care in cardiology.
In reflection on the information I gathered, I distinguished two realms of development, each with their own dimensions. To implement the technological features to the conduct of care and benefit from its outcomes and processes, and specifically for the benefits of the patient, both realms of developments need to be actively attended to…
Originally posted on “Value innovation in medical and life sciences”; August 21th, 2009