Elements of an integrated health organisation

There is consensus among healthcare leaders on what an IHO is and broadly what it should intend to achieve. In their view, an IHO is not a new organisational form but a new integrated delivery model with three main elements:

1) a capitated contract commissioned by an ICB which transfers responsibility for the health outcomes of a whole population within a defined geography to a ‘host’ provider

2) sub-contractual arrangements between a host provider and partner providers which cover the delivery of care services beyond those delivered directly by the host 

3) a locally agreed mechanism that ensures collaboration and shared decision-making across all providers. 

The language used nationally and locally to refer to these different elements is important in facilitating a more supportive and collaborative approach. For instance, rather than ‘lead provider’, which implies an organisational hierarchy and could indicate a potential takeover, healthcare leaders would prefer subsequent national policy to refer to ‘host providers.’ That terminology is adopted throughout this report.