Figure 2
The center of the model shows a right-pointing arrow originating from a square node labeled “Susceptible population” and leading into another square node labeled “Phase 1”. In the middle of this arrow, a valve labeled “Incidence” is present. Above “Incidence”, a small circle labeled “Rate of incidence” is shown, with a short downward-pointing arrow connecting it to “Incidence”. From the square node labeled “Susceptible population”, a curved arrow arises and points toward “Incidence”. From “Phase 1”, a right-pointing arrow arises and points to a small square node labeled “Phase 2”. In the middle of this arrow, a valve labeled “Progression” is present. A curved arrow from “Phase 1” points toward “Progression”. From “Phase 2”, a right-pointing arrow originates and points to a small square node labeled “Hospitalized”. In the middle of this arrow, a valve labeled “Hospitalizations” is present. From “Phase 2”, a curved arrow arises and points toward “Hospitalizations”. From “Hospitalized”, a left-pointing arrow originates and points toward “Phase 2”. In the middle of this arrow, a valve labeled “Discharged” is present. From “Hospitalized”, a curved arrow arises and points toward “Discharged”. Below “Hospitalizations”, a circle labeled “Hosp rate” is present. From “Hosp rate”, a curved arrow arises and points toward “Hospitalizations”. Above “Discharged”, another circle labeled “Hosp days” is present. From “Hosp days”, a curved arrow arises and points toward “Discharged”. At the top left of the figure, an upward-pointing arrow originates from a small cloud-shaped icon containing a value labeled “Total costs” in the middle and leads to a square node labeled “Health expenditure”. From “Hospitalizations”, a curved arrow arises and points toward a circular node labeled “Hospital cost”. On the left side of “Hospital cost”, another small circle labeled “D R G tariff” is present, with an arrow pointing toward “Hospital cost”. From “Hospital cost”, a curved arrow arises and points toward “Total costs”. From “Phase 1”, a downward-pointing arrow originates and points to a small square node labeled “Population screened”. In the middle of this arrow, a valve labeled “Screening” is present. From “Phase 1”, a curved arrow arises and points to “Screening”. From “Susceptible population”, a curved arrow arises and points to “Screening”. From “Population screened”, a downward-pointing arrow originates and points to a small square node labeled “Patients T i C”. In the middle of this arrow, a valve labeled “T i C” is present. From the square node labeled “Patients T i C”, a right-pointing arrow originates and points to “Phase 2”, and has a valve in the arrow labeled “Progression T i C”. From “Patients T i C”, a curved arrow arises and points to “Progression T i C”. Below “Progression T i C”, a circular node labeled “Patient progression T i C” is present, with an upward-pointing arrow connecting it to “Progression T i C”. From “Population screened”, an arrow arises and extends rightward and leads to a valve labeled “Progression screened”. From that valve, the arrow extends and connects to the valve that arose from “Patients T i C”, and points to “Phase 2”. Above “Progression screened”, a small circle node labeled “Patient progression non-T i C” is present. From “Patient progression non-T i C”, two curved arrows arise and point to “Progression” and “Progression screened”. From “Population screened”, a curved arrow arises and points to “Progression screened”. On the bottom left of the figure, ten circular nodes are shown, scattered and interconnected. The nodes are labeled as follows from left to right: “Cost of G P s”, “Cost of Employees”, “Employee salary”, “G P salary”, “G Ps”, “Screening Emp”, “Screening capacity”, “Screening per E m p”, “Primary care capacity”, and “Chronic patients per G P”. From “Chronic patients per G P”, an arrow arises and points to “Primary care capacity”. From “Primary care capacity”, an arrow arises and points to “T i C”. From “G Ps”, an arrow arises and points to “Primary care capacity”. From “G Ps”, another arrow arises and points to “Cost of G P s”. From “G P salary”, an arrow arises and points to “Cost of G P s”. From “Cost of G P s”, an arrow arises and points to “Total costs”. From “Employee salary”, an arrow arises and points to “Cost of Employees”. From “Cost of Employees”, an arrow arises and points to “Total costs”. From “Screening per E m p”, an arrow arises and points to “Screening capacity”. From “Screening E m p”, two arrows arise and point to “Screening capacity” and “Cost of Employees”. Inside all the square nodes, at the bottom left corner, a plus or minus sign is shown, except for the square node labeled “Population screened”. At the bottom left, a rectangular legend box titled “LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS”. Inside this box, the abbreviations are listed as follows: “G P(s): general practitioner (s)”, “T i C: Taken in charge”, and “D R G: Diagnosis-related group”.The chronic care pathway – an SD model. Source: Authors’ own elaboration