Evaluating integrated care for people with complex needs

Objectives: As part of the Vanguard programme, two integrated care models were introduced in South Somerset for people with complex care needs: the Complex Care Team and Enhanced Primary Care. We assessed their impact on a range of utilization measures and mortality. Methods: We used monthly individual-level linked primary and secondary care data from April 2014 to March 2018 to assess outcomes before and after the introduction of the care models. The analysis sample included 564 Complex Care Team and 841 Enhanced Primary Care cases that met specific criteria. We employed propensity score methods to identify out-of-area control patients and difference-in-differences analysis to isolate the care models’ impact. Results: We found no evidence of significantly reduced utilization in any of the Complex Care Team or Enhanced Primary Care cohorts. The death rate was significantly lower only for those in the first Enhanced Primary Care cohort. Conclusions: The integrated care models did not significantly reduce utilization nor consistently reduce mortality. Future research should test longer-term outcomes associated with the new models of care and quantify their contribution in the context of broader initiatives.