The impact of alternative care integration strategies on Health Care Network's performance in different Latin American health systems (Equity-LA II)

Equity-LA II is a research project whose objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of different care integration strategies in improving coordination and quality of care in integrated health care networks (IHN) in Latin America. The project builds upon the results of Equity-LA, which explored access to the care continuum and care coordination of IHN in Brazil and Colombia. Equity-LA II incorporates four additional countries with different types of health care systems: Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay.

In order to achieve its objectives, Equity-LA II adopts a quasi-experimental design for the evaluation of complex interventions in IHN with a participatory action-research approach, that counts with the participation of health professionals, health care managers, users, policy makers and researchers during all stages of the project. Two tracer conditions – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes mellitus type II – will be used in some research phases.

Equity-LA II will generate evidence for the formulation of policies that improve care integration in the Latin American countries. Furthermore, the project will contribute to strengthening research capacities of researchers, health professionals and managers of all involved institutions, as well as national and regional policy makers for the planning, management and organization of health systems regarding strategies that improve care integration.

Financing
Equity-LA II is financed by the European Commission as a collaborative project for the Specific International Cooperation Action (SICA) of the 7th Framework Programme (FP7): Cooperation and Health. The project belongs to the work programme HEALTH.2012.3.4-1 that addresses the topic Research on health systems and services in low- and middle-income countries (small or medium-scale focused research project).