M4 · Architecture
IHSC Architecture
From principles to operational practice.

duration

75 minutes

screens

35 steps
In this module, you will learn how integrated health and social care (IHSC) is translated from concept into operational practice. You will explore the core principles that underpin effective integration and understand how they are implemented through multidisciplinary collaboration, case management, and system design.
You will realise that integration is not achieved by intention alone. It requires clear structures, defined roles, and shared ways of working that bring health and social care into a coherent response. Without an operational architecture, even well-designed approaches remain fragmented.
YOU WILL DEVELOP THE SKILLS TO

Explain and operationalise the four core IHSC principles in real-world settings,

Distinguish between Intensive Case Management (ICM) and Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) models and their appropriate use,

Analyse the roles and functioning of multidisciplinary teams,

Understand the importance of data, monitoring, and evaluation in sustaining integration,

Evaluate international models of integrated care, including examples from the USA, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Austria,

Assess how these models can be adapted and transferred to your own context.

Through this module, you will begin to connect principles with structure—understanding how integrated care is organised, coordinated, and sustained across systems.

Ultimately, this module invites you to reflect:

What makes integration actually work in practice—and what structures must be in place to support it?