The Yin and Yang of Integrated Care: Systemic Imperatives for Traumatic Brain Injuries

Abstract

Overview: Traumatic brain injuries remain a 21st century scourge that remains subterranean and mostly invisible in our societies. Integrated care systems for traumatic brain injury patients effectively integrate the key systemic components horizontally and vertically so as to improve patient outcomes, systemic performance and facilitate outcome and impact learning. Description: This perspective paper briefly identifies the nature of traumatic brain injuries from a Canadian and European Union optic. A “yin” and “yang” perspective of this scourge and the systemic care responses provides a backdrop for four key systemic imperatives that remain as challenges to effective integrated care systems in the context of traumatic brain injuries. Discussion/Conclusion: This paper underscores the systemic imperatives for the 21st century evolution for integrated care systems for traumatic brain injuries and concludes with a paradigm of public choices confronting the scourge of traumatic brain injuries. Keywords: Canada, European Union, integrated care systems, leadership, regional health authorities, traumatic brain injuries, yin and yang