Implementing Integrated Care – Lessons from the Odense Integrated Care Trial

INTRODUCTION: Creating coordination and concerted action between sectors of modern healthcare is an inherent challenge, and decision makers in search for solutions tend replicate new models across countries and settings. An example of this is the translation of the North West London integrated care pilot into a large-scale trial that took place in the Danish Municipality of Odense from 2013–2016. This article highlights the findings from our evaluation of the ill-fated project and discusses lessons learned. METHODS: We examined implementation and short-term outcome in a multi-method evaluation based on qualitative interviews, direct observation, electronic surveys and quantitative analysis of change in service use and costs, using patient level data and a matched control group. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Despite an ambitious setup, ample financing, a shared governance structure and a well-functioning project organisation, implementation failed at the clinical level. Also, service use and costs for included patients increased significantly, without yielding the intended results. Primary explanations relate to an overly optimistic timeframe and a failure to take professionals’ wishes, daily practices and values into account. The results underline the importance of basing future attempts at integrated care on thorough studies of the perception of actual needs and timing, including rigorous pilot testing on a smaller scale, before attempting large-scale implementation.