Development and implementation of an HIV/AIDS case management outcomes assessment programme

The Case Management Section of the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute coordinates the provision of case management services for people living with HIV/AIDS throughout the state. The Community Follow-Up Program (CFP), providing intensive case management for HIV-positive individuals and their families, operates under the auspices of the Case Management Section. This article focuses on a public/private outcomes assessment partnership, sponsored by the Case Management Section, and developed in conjunction with a team of CFP programme managers from across the state. The process used to develop outcome indicators and measures is described; challenges encountered along the way are detailed; and suggestions for other public/private partnerships are outlined. Results from two years of outcomes data collection are also presented. The article concludes that the inclusion of providers in the identification and measurement of desired outcomes can help overcome provider resistance to outcomes assessment and can help ensure that outcomes data are used to improve programme performance.