Transitional care: a multidisciplinary case management-based unit

A major challenge confronting health professionals today is the provision of safe, effective, and quality care for patients with the available reimbursement funds. Multidisciplinary case management meets this challenge by providing planned, coordinated care based on patient needs. Children dependent on technology are logical choices for case management since they often experience prolonged hospitalization and require intervention from numerous specialists. To meet this need, LeBonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis, Tennessee opened the Transitional Care Unit (TCU), which provides the family with a conducive environment for developmental, social, and educational interaction. A retrospective chart review on 10 patients was conducted to assess the efficiency of the unit. Findings demonstrated a decrease in daily costs and hospital stay. A TCU uses scarce hospital resources while efficiently saving health care funds for the individual patient.