Best practice integrated primary/secondary health care governance - applying evidence to Australia’s health reform agenda

Background There is an identified need for more robust and high-quality evidence to inform decisions about how to develop and deliver integrated primary/secondary health care. There is no single model of integrated care that is suited to all contexts, settings and circumstances. Researchers and policymakers need to work together with practitioners to develop, evaluate and implement effective approaches. For the goals of health reform to be realized, primary health care and secondary care organisations must work together to achieve co-ordinated and integrated healthcare services. This study aimed to describe the elements of a health care system capable of supporting effective integrated primary/ secondary care and how many of these governance elements are identifiable within Australia’s current health care reform environment.