The Regional Council of the Center and North of Chile, and the management teams of the five Healthcare Services in the region (Atacama, Copiapó, Valparaíso-San Antonio, Viña del Mar-Quillota and Aconcagua) have signed up to their Administration Commitments for the period 2015-2018, at a regional event taking place in Valparaiso.
Among the commitments that the Chilean Ministry of Health (MINSAL) has assumed between 2015 and 2018 is the decision of the Sub-department for Care Networks to incorporate the concept of Integrated Health Service Delivery Networks (IHSDNs) into its administration. The implementations, which will be carried out in accordance with recommendations by the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) seek to ensure access for the entire population to healthcare services and optimize the technical quality of facilities, thus helping to better satisfy citizens’ demand.
PAHO defines an IHSDNs as a network of organizations that provides, or arranges for the provision of, equitable and integral healthcare services to a defined population and that is able to account for its clinical and economic results and the state of health of the population it serves.
The main challenge of the Chilean government is thus to avoid the fragmentation of healthcare services resulting in the co-existence of several different units and establishments that are not integrated into the healthcare network. The measure will apply to high, medium and low complexity hospitals and Primary Care Centers (CAPS).
During the launch event for the program, the Undersecretary for Care Networks, Angélica Verdugo, placed an emphasis on these administration commitments and stated that the initiative will make it possible to improve and evaluate the progress of the work. “(The intention) is to correct deficiencies over the year so as to, ideally, fulfill all our commitments,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dagoberto Duarte Quapper, Director of the Valparíso-San Antonio Service, stated that the objective is to deliver better quality care to the population just as President Michelle Bachelet promised.
The goal is to have an impact on healthcare
Bearing in mind that each region in the country has its distinctive characteristics, the Chilean government is emphasizing that the goals were set at a national level. Regional differences require a change in strategy but not in the objectives set. MINSAL has proposed six macro objectives:
1. To progress toward a proactive care model that takes into account the epidemiology, chronic diseases and varied morbidity of the Chilean population with a focus on the life cycle and the right to preventative and promotional healthcare that anticipates potential threats to health.
2. To strengthen the integration of the Public Healthcare Network under the RISS model based on CAPS, combining all levels of care and quality to achieve an impact on the heath of the population.
3. To design and put into practice a National Plan for Continuous Improvement in the Quality of Health.
4. To develop a new policy of administration, training, retention and development of people who work in the health sector.
5. To strengthen financial administration of the sector and the financing of the Public Care Network.
6. To develop a National Plan of Public Investment that addresses the existing problems in the infrastructure and facilities in the Public Health Sector.
This plan was prepared by over forty professionals at the Under-department for Care Networks and bodies attached to the Ministry of Health.
A pressing need
The Pan-Amercian Health Organization is part of the the Organization of American States (OAE) and specializes in inter-American healthcare systems. It is also associated with the World Health Organization (WHO) and creates and coordinates policies to improve health and quality of life in American States.
The system of Integrated Health Service Delivery Networks (IHSDNs) started as a PAHO initiative in partnership with the WHO. The main goal was to combat the fragmentation of healthcare services in each nation and increase the quality of care for patients.
With a focus on an aging population, the emergence of chronic diseases and the increase in user expectations, the main area of activity will be Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs). According to the WHO, the system based on PHCs is made up of both structural and functional elements that ensure universal coverage and access to services, making families and communities a basis for planning and action.
The implementation of IHSDNs is aimed at reducing inefficient use of available resources and ending the unnecessary increase in production costs.
