Exploring the systems thinking contribution to the modelling of Integrated Home Care

he elderly of population and the growing of chronic illnesses, on the one hand, and the need of cutting the costs of health care, on the other hand, are challenging health systems. In this context, providing health care at the home of the patient is increasingly considered as one of the best solutions to make the service more effective, efficient, and sustainable at the same time. A significant factor of complexity, however, emerges in the provision of home care due to the need to integrate various health care services with social assistance and family support. To grasp this complexity, it is necessary to take into account the diversity of needs, interests and views of the problem, to integrate abstract and case specific knowledge, to focus on problem-solving, hence, to adopt a transdisciplinary approach. These necessities highlight the need of an effective management of variety and the opportunity of exploring the contribution of systems thinking. Accordingly, the work aims to analyse current models of home care in order to identify the key requirements for effectively modelling integrated home care.