Case management for long-term and acute medical care

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Administration
• Health Services Research
• Gerontology

Background:

• Case management has emerged as a key strategy for cost containment and quality improvement in health and social services.
• While long-term care case management is studied, research on its application for high-cost medical care users is limited.
• Integrated delivery and financing models are crucial for comprehensive patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the evolving role of case management in integrated healthcare systems.
• To identify new opportunities for case management in high-cost medical care settings.
• To review programs demonstrating integrated medical and long-term care delivery and financing.

Main Methods:

• Overview of five distinct case management programs.
• Analysis of integrated medical and long-term care delivery models.
• Examination of patient groups utilizing high-cost medical services.

Main Results:

• Five programs showcase integrated medical and long-term care delivery and/or financing.
• Varied results observed in long-term care case management with service expansion.
• Potential for new case management roles in high-cost medical care is indicated.

Conclusions:

• Integrated care models present opportunities for innovative case management approaches.
• Further research is needed to define optimal case management strategies for high-cost medical populations.
• Case management is pivotal in navigating complex healthcare needs and improving service delivery.