Table 1 Integrated elderly care in the Netherlands

• Integrated elderly care is described in national elderly care programmes, initiated by primary care. In the Netherlands approximately 20% of the population is older than 65 years.

• Involved healthcare professionals are providing general practice care (gatekeeper), allied care (including district nursing, physio- and occupational therapy), home care services, social work, specialist (elderly) care. Day care is delivered by social care or specialist care.

• Involved organisations include primary care groups, care organisations (district nursing, home care services) and often additionally social work, municipalities and/or hospitals.

• Financers are health insurers, municipalities and government.

• Formalisation is still being developed but resembles mandated collaboratives [6]. Participants of such collaboratives are managers and coordinators of the organisations. In the Netherlands, there can be over 50 health organisations involved in elderly care in one region, including regional patient organisations. Managerial delegates from the key organisations meet at ‘round tables’ to set the regional agenda and discuss ongoing projects. It can be agreed that a certain organisation represents the others working in the same sector. Although there are some initiatives that strive for more formalisation, it is also proclaimed that a higher level of formalisation is not pursued to ensure flexibility over time.