{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,7]],"date-time":"2026-09-07T13:07:53Z","timestamp":1788786473807,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"Ubiquity Press, Ltd.","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,7]],"date-time":"2026-09-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788739200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100012737","name":"Department of Health and Human Services, State Government of Victoria","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["Block grant replacing predicted health service activity"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Block grant replacing predicted health service activity"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100012737","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Int J Integr Care"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Introduction: Western HealthLinks, an integrated care chronic illness management program, supported patients with chronic and complex conditions to stay well at home after hospital discharge. This study assessed patients\u2019 experiences of the program.Methods: A prospective mixed-methods observational cohort study, conducted as an implementation evaluation with six-monthly assessments over 30 months included: A visual analogue scale (VAS) rating healthcare satisfaction; an Assessment of Quality of Life 4 Dimensions (AQoL4D) tool; a survey regarding healthcare satisfaction. VAS and AQoL4D were analysed with a simple random effects model using time as a linear variable; survey was analysed with thematic analysis.Results: Median baseline VAS was 79 and AQoL4D 0.15, with no evidence for change over time. Themes across timepoints included: Local\/home-based care; hospital access; individualised, coordinated and consistent care; communication; reduced waiting; healthcare provider qualities; transport\/parking.Discussion: No evidence of change to VAS and AQoL4D suggests maintained healthcare satisfaction and QoL over time despite increasing age and disease burden. Surveys showed patients value integrated care. Limitations include the absence of control group and loss to follow-up with risk of bias for VAS and AQoL4D.Conclusion: Western HealthLinks patients maintained healthcare satisfaction and QoL over time after hospital discharge. Patients value integrated care and future models of care may benefit from incorporation of themes from analysis.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.5334\/ijic.8980","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,7]],"date-time":"2026-09-07T11:01:52Z","timestamp":1788778912000},"page":"14","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Patients\u2019 Experiences of the Western HealthLinks Integrated Care Chronic Illness Management Program: A Prospective Mixed-Methods Observational Cohort Study"],"prefix":"10.5334","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1266-4731","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Julia L.","family":"Jones","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-2824-8872","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kirsty","family":"Barnes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-9278-7050","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Catherine","family":"Grant","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jason","family":"Plant","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7471-2487","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Natalie G.","family":"Lumsden","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6534-2277","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Koen","family":"Simons","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0213-4515","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Edward D.","family":"Janus","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3548-4167","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Craig L.","family":"Nelson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ann","family":"Allenby","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"3285","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,7]]},"reference":[{"issue":"3","key":"key20260907110332_B1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"161","DOI":"10.7326\/0003-4819-138-3-200302040-00007","article-title":"The Incidence and Severity of Adverse Events Affecting Patients after Discharge from the Hospital","volume":"138","year":"2003","journal-title":"Annals of Internal Medicine"},{"issue":"3","key":"key20260907110332_B2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1370\/afm.2222","article-title":"Care Transitions From Patient and Caregiver Perspectives","volume":"16","year":"2018","journal-title":"Ann Fam Med"},{"key":"key20260907110332_B3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1093\/intqhc\/mzi002","article-title":"Effects of a multidisciplinary, post-discharge continuance of care intervention on quality of life, discharge satisfaction, and hospital length of stay: A randomized controlled trial","volume":"17","year":"2005","journal-title":"International journal for quality in health care: journal of the International Society for Quality in Health Care\/ISQua"},{"key":"key20260907110332_B4","unstructured":"NHS England. 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