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Demographics and clinical determinants of integrated care usage in social security patients: an Ecuadorian experience.

Abstract:

Introduction: Up to 80% of deaths related to chronic diseases (CDs) occur in low-middle income countries. Ecuadorian social security implemented a new policy for improving health care to chronic patients by two main strategies: (i) by adopting the frame of the renewed primary health care of the World Health Organization; and (ii) by massive contracting of family physicians into their primary health care centres. In order to improve the care of homebound chronic patients assigned to our healthcare center – insured to the social security health care system –, and as an answer for the mentioned change in institutional policies, we implemented an Integrated Care (IC) approach, by developing a Home Visit (HV) service in the north of Quito. The service was implemented in a real scenario and it is currently ongoing.