Regional Integrated Cardiovascular Risk Management Care Pathway in the Netherlands: Benefits and Working Mechanisms

Background: Integrated cardiovascular risk management care pathways are initiated nationwide to decrease the morbidity, mortality, and costs of cardiovascular diseases. However, evidence on cardiovascular risk management care pathways is needed to support broader scaling up of these initiatives. Aim...

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Main Authors: Relinde J. de Koeijer, Marcella E. de Geest, Gideon R. Hajer, Fabrice M. A. C. Martens
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ubiquity Press 2025-07-01
Series:International Journal of Integrated Care
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Online Access:https://account.ijic.org/index.php/up-j-ijic/article/view/8654
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author Relinde J. de Koeijer
Marcella E. de Geest
Gideon R. Hajer
Fabrice M. A. C. Martens
author_facet Relinde J. de Koeijer
Marcella E. de Geest
Gideon R. Hajer
Fabrice M. A. C. Martens
author_sort Relinde J. de Koeijer
collection DOAJ
description Background: Integrated cardiovascular risk management care pathways are initiated nationwide to decrease the morbidity, mortality, and costs of cardiovascular diseases. However, evidence on cardiovascular risk management care pathways is needed to support broader scaling up of these initiatives. Aim: To evaluate a Dutch cardiovascular risk management care pathway to identify benefits for patients and professionals and determine working mechanisms for upscaling integrated care initiatives. Methods: Process and clinical indicators: retrospective cohort design combined with quasi-experimental time-series design with longitudinal data (2014 to 2019, n = 3779) examined using an ANOVA with contrasts. Team indicator: a survey. Working mechanisms: multidisciplinary focus groups and interviews with patients. Results: Process, team, and clinical indicators showed that cardiovascular risk management care pathway is beneficial for enhancing quality of care and inter-professional collaboration. Six working mechanisms were identified: boundary spanners, boundary objects, network platform, continuous learning and improvement, mixed-methods evaluation, and multilevel connection for upscaling. Conclusion: Vertical integration formalized in a care pathway benefits both patients and professionals in primary and secondary care settings. Also, evaluation with multiple research methods enables a more comprehensive understanding of the context in which care pathways are implemented and working mechanisms, which is essential for scaling up integrated care initiatives.
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issn 1568-4156
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publishDate 2025-07-01
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series International Journal of Integrated Care
spelling doaj-art-ec409d8bb07a438ebb8d4a0f5a4807e62025-08-21T12:36:17ZengUbiquity PressInternational Journal of Integrated Care1568-41562025-07-01251110.5334/ijic.86548550Regional Integrated Cardiovascular Risk Management Care Pathway in the Netherlands: Benefits and Working MechanismsRelinde J. de Koeijer0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5451-8110Marcella E. de Geest1Gideon R. Hajer2Fabrice M. A. C. Martens3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0977-7276Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, PO Box 1738, 3000 DR RotterdamPolicy Advisor, Centre for Cardiovascular Disease Salland, Deventer Hospital, DeventerDepartment of Internal Medicine and Centre for Cardiovascular Disease Salland, Deventer Hospital, DeventerDepartment of Cardiology, Deventer Hospital, Deventer; Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, AmsterdamBackground: Integrated cardiovascular risk management care pathways are initiated nationwide to decrease the morbidity, mortality, and costs of cardiovascular diseases. However, evidence on cardiovascular risk management care pathways is needed to support broader scaling up of these initiatives. Aim: To evaluate a Dutch cardiovascular risk management care pathway to identify benefits for patients and professionals and determine working mechanisms for upscaling integrated care initiatives. Methods: Process and clinical indicators: retrospective cohort design combined with quasi-experimental time-series design with longitudinal data (2014 to 2019, n = 3779) examined using an ANOVA with contrasts. Team indicator: a survey. Working mechanisms: multidisciplinary focus groups and interviews with patients. Results: Process, team, and clinical indicators showed that cardiovascular risk management care pathway is beneficial for enhancing quality of care and inter-professional collaboration. Six working mechanisms were identified: boundary spanners, boundary objects, network platform, continuous learning and improvement, mixed-methods evaluation, and multilevel connection for upscaling. Conclusion: Vertical integration formalized in a care pathway benefits both patients and professionals in primary and secondary care settings. Also, evaluation with multiple research methods enables a more comprehensive understanding of the context in which care pathways are implemented and working mechanisms, which is essential for scaling up integrated care initiatives.https://account.ijic.org/index.php/up-j-ijic/article/view/8654cardiovascular risk managementcare pathwayintegrated careevaluationbenefitsworking mechanisms
spellingShingle Relinde J. de Koeijer
Marcella E. de Geest
Gideon R. Hajer
Fabrice M. A. C. Martens
Regional Integrated Cardiovascular Risk Management Care Pathway in the Netherlands: Benefits and Working Mechanisms
International Journal of Integrated Care
cardiovascular risk management
care pathway
integrated care
evaluation
benefits
working mechanisms
title Regional Integrated Cardiovascular Risk Management Care Pathway in the Netherlands: Benefits and Working Mechanisms
title_full Regional Integrated Cardiovascular Risk Management Care Pathway in the Netherlands: Benefits and Working Mechanisms
title_fullStr Regional Integrated Cardiovascular Risk Management Care Pathway in the Netherlands: Benefits and Working Mechanisms
title_full_unstemmed Regional Integrated Cardiovascular Risk Management Care Pathway in the Netherlands: Benefits and Working Mechanisms
title_short Regional Integrated Cardiovascular Risk Management Care Pathway in the Netherlands: Benefits and Working Mechanisms
title_sort regional integrated cardiovascular risk management care pathway in the netherlands benefits and working mechanisms
topic cardiovascular risk management
care pathway
integrated care
evaluation
benefits
working mechanisms
url https://account.ijic.org/index.php/up-j-ijic/article/view/8654
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AT marcellaedegeest regionalintegratedcardiovascularriskmanagementcarepathwayinthenetherlandsbenefitsandworkingmechanisms
AT gideonrhajer regionalintegratedcardiovascularriskmanagementcarepathwayinthenetherlandsbenefitsandworkingmechanisms
AT fabricemacmartens regionalintegratedcardiovascularriskmanagementcarepathwayinthenetherlandsbenefitsandworkingmechanisms