What are systems?
System - a regularly interacting or interdependent group of items forming a unified whole; but more than just a collection of parts
Most systems consist of 3 things:
- elements or characteristics
- interconnections - the way these elements/characteristics relate to and/or feed back into each other
- function or purpose
Thinking of the Health System one must take into account several complex and independent parts that make up the whole including:
- provider's system - the clinic or hospital where health professionals provide care and support for patients
- health care system - the collection of clinical programs and centers that are part of a larger organization of programs, centers, hospitals, etc.
- patient's system - the people patients interact with including their family, friends, and community, providers, health professionals, and processes
Triple Aim Explained
The Triple Aim in practice ... The system would provide coordinated care for individuals in the population, with access to up-to-date knowledge and evidence on effective care. The costs of doing so should be transparent, especially the costs over time for the individual and for the population.
Systems Thinking
A holistic approach to understanding a system's component parts and the interrelatedness of these parts to better understand how a system works and evolves over time.
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The Healthcare System
You must understand where and how often patients actually encounter the health care system to ensure that the system is truly patient centered and designed to address the Triple Aim.