DementiaNet facilitates a sustainable transition toward integrated primary dementia care: A long‐term evaluation

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONCare integration is a promising strategy to achieve sustainable health‐care systems. With DementiaNet, a 2‐year program, we facilitated collaboration between primary health‐care professionals. We studied changes in primary dementia care integration during and after DementiaNet participation.METHODSA longitudinal follow‐up study was performed. Networks started between 2015 and 2020; follow‐up ended in 2021. Quantitative and quantitative data were collected annually to assess quality of care, network collaboration, and number of crisis admissions. Growth modeling was used to identify changes over time.RESULTSThirty‐five primary care networks participated. Network collaboration and quality of care of newly formed networks increased significantly in the first 2 years (respectively, 0.35/year, P < .001; 0.29/year, P < .001) and thereafter stabilized.CONCLUSIONPrimary care networks improved their collaboration and quality of care during DementiaNet participation, which persisted after the program ended. This indicates that DementiaNet facilitated a sustainable transition toward integrated primary dementia care.

Effects of DementiaNet’s Community Care Network Approach on Admission Rates and Healthcare Costs: A Longitudinal Cohort Analysis

“…This study demonstrates that DementiaNet’s approach, with formation of local community care networks, is most likely effective in lowering admission risks and hospital care costs for patients with dementia. Combined with earlier favourable results on quality of care and network collaboration shown in several studies, 14 - 16 the DementiaNet programme seems to be a value-adding initiative that is able to generate higher quality of care at the same costs. Although DementiaNet’s approach specifically focussed on the setup of community care networks for patients with dementia, this programme and its networks may be able to add value for a larger group of patients.…”

“…Results showed improvements in networks’ quality of care and interprofessional collaboration over a period up to six years. 14 - 16 …”

“…Results showed improvements in networks' quality of care and interprofessional collaboration over a period up to six years. [14][15][16] A comparable community network programme targeted at patients with Parkinson's disease was among the first to show that a such an approach can be beneficial for health outcomes and costs over a three-year period. 17 However, thus far, it has not yet been studied if these improvements in quality of care within the DementiaNet programme have led to reduced admission risks and healthcare costs.…”