PhD conferral Ms Maike V. Tietschert, MSc.

“The Complex Relationship between Organizational Culture and Patient-Perceived Integrated Care. Clearing the mud?”

Keywords: chronic diseases, integrated care, patient experiences, healthcare providers

People with chronic diseases require integrated (i.e. tailored and continuous) patient-centred care. This dissertation describes the correlation between the organisational culture of healthcare providers and the degree to which patients perceive their care to be integrated. The research results were obtained by administering an innovative survey aimed at acquiring a detailed overview of patient experiences: the PPIC questionnaire (Patient Perceptions of Integrated Care). The results reveal the areas in which integrated care can be improved, particularly the degree to which the care process centres on patients. Unlike the findings of previous studies, a homogeneous culture is not always favourable, with a degree of cultural difference among healthcare providers appearing to be of equal importance.