Abstract
Given the rising burden of global diseases and the resulting need to strengthen and shift health systems functioning, we examined the use and application of the World Health Organisation Framework on integrated people-centred health services (IPCHS), assessing its role in fostering sustainability and resilience.
Our research is intended for healthcare professionals, policymakers, academics, and advocates for integrated health services and people-centred care. Those wishing to transform health and care systems towards sustainability and resilience will find our research particularly useful.
This research was conceptualised, designed, and mentored by experts at the George Institute for Global Health in collaboration with members from King's College London. The review comprehensively examined a number of studies that covered diverse perspectives and experiences with the IPCHS framework, even though it did not specifically delve into public participation or co-design methodologies.
Our initiative was a comprehensive examination of the usage, application, and global impact of the IPCHS framework through a systematic scoping review covering a period from 2016 through January 2023. To gain an in-depth understanding of the IPCHS framework in the context of global health systems, we analysed academic literature using database searches and articles found on the IPCHS website. To ensure that we synthesised all the important lessons learned, we performed content analysis and descriptive analysis of the data that was extracted.
The findings of this research revealed that the IPCHS has been implemented in various health settings globally, across different cultural and socioeconomic contexts, yielding diverse but also consistent results. The insight of our study also provides light on the successful strategies and common barriers in implementing the framework thereby serving as a valuable reference for future efforts for people-centred integrated care.
The international community can gain insights into the application and existing knowledge of the IPCHS framework, as well as its potential for optimising health services. Through our work, global health policy and practice can be guided by promoting person-centred and integrated health services. Furthermore, we have identified a consolidated research tool kit that will be useful in facilitating and evaluating the five key strategies of the IPCHS framework. Finally, our study is the first to examine the IPCHS framework and provides potential directions for further examination.
On the basis of our findings, the next steps consist of conducting additional research on the individual five strategies in various geographic locations, health system components, and determining how the IPCHS is adapted to each context. To foster a shared understanding and ensure that the transformation of the health system is effective and sustainable, we propose the development of an international collaboration platform where individuals can share their knowledge, experiences, and strategies related to the IPCHS framework.