Background: Collaboration between the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness, the province's District Health Authorities (DHAs) and the Izaak Walton Killam (IWK) Health Center led to the development and implementation of a new collaborative model of patient-centered care delivery in the province.
Objective: The objective was to determine the effectiveness of the initiative in arriving at the envisioned care model by investigating its impacts (if any) on patient, system, and providers outcomes.
Methods: A repeated surveys study design with mixed methods in an outcome mapping framework was used to measure process and outcome indicators for patients and families, providers, and the system.
Results: Almost all outcomes at the patient and family, provider, and system level improved following the implementation of the model, and these effects were stronger on units where the model was more fully implemented.
Conclusions: The efforts of the province, DHAs and IWK to improve patient care through the new care model have been successful. This evaluation is unique in the broad range of indicators it incorporates. Comprehensive monitoring and evaluation of health system changes is critical to system effectiveness.
Keywords: health system evaluation; health system transformation; model of care; outcome mapping.
Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.