Deriving Cost Savings While Enhancing Quality of Care Through Effective Case Management in the Acute Care Facility

摘要

Case management is a process that spans many different areas of medicine, including, but not limited to, third-party payers, acute and posta-cute facilities, and independent practice settings. It is one component in the strategy to enhance overall patient care. Case management should not be an episodic event; rather, it should be a continuous process focused on a patient's specific medical problems and needs. The Commission for Case Manager Certification defines case management as "... a collaborative process that assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors, and evaluates the options and services required to meet the client's health and human services needs" (Kongstvedt & Plocher, 1998). In order to meet these goals, the case manager's role is "... characterized by advocacy, communication and resource management ..." (Commission for Case Manager Certification, 2005).