Case management and nurses

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The restructuring of health services has increased the prominence of case management.
• Significant confusion exists regarding the precise definition and implementation of case management.
• New Zealand nurses are examining US models and conducting local research to define case management within their healthcare system.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the development of case management in New Zealand, referencing US nursing experiences.
• To provide a contemporary overview to stimulate discussion and critical analysis of nursing's role in the evolving health sector.
• To examine case management at the intersection of healthcare funding and professional nursing practice.

Main Methods:

• Review of case management developments in New Zealand.
• Reference to nursing case management experiences and research from the United States.
• Analysis of a discussion paper prepared for the College of Nurses Aotearoa.

Main Results:

• Case management is conceptualized as a critical interface between healthcare funding and professional practice.
• Nurses have been instrumental in service delivery and research initiatives related to case management.
• The interface between funding management and professional practice within case management has been superficially addressed.

Conclusions:

• Further analysis and critique are needed regarding nursing's contribution to case management within the changing healthcare landscape.
• There is a need for clearer conceptualization and application of case management in nursing practice.
• The role of nurses at the nexus of healthcare finance and practice requires deeper exploration.