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Study topic:
Editorial commentary evaluating HealthPathways in Canterbury as a tool for integrated care and implementation of evidence-based practice.

Study type:
Editorial / Commentary

Key findings:

• HealthPathways is praised for fostering improved relationships between general practitioners and hospital specialists through both its collaborative development process and shared clinical tools.
• The authors commend HealthPathways for aligning with features of integrated care—such as distributive leadership and linking primary to secondary care—but suggest its scope for community care is narrowly defined and lacks strong integration with social services.
• Although the tool is popular and widely used, especially in Canterbury, the editorial questions whether sufficient evidence has been gathered to confirm its impact on patient outcomes, equity, or cost-effectiveness.
• HealthPathways is noted to be provider-centred, with limited patient involvement in design or assessment, and its consultation length impact is viewed differently by clinicians versus patients.
• HealthPathways is considered an effective tool for implementation—changing clinician behaviour by making guideline-compliant care easier—but the authors call for more comprehensive evaluation using patient-centred and population health metrics.