Case management at Warringal Private Hospital: challenges of development, implementation and evaluation

Case management has the potential to improve the quality of care for patients, streamline efficiencies within organisations, and ultimately lower health care expenditure. This article explores why Warringal Private Hospital embraced the concept and how the chosen model of case management was developed. It describes the implementation and evaluation of the model and how it was received, accepted, and applied by the various stakeholders. The cardiac and orthopaedic units will be cited as case studies in order to emphasise some of the challenges encountered in this process as well as the successful outcomes. It should be noted, however, that each unit within the hospital is unique and, although the principles of case management have been applied throughout the hospital, the development, implementation and evaluation has been specific to each unit.