[Case management and complex chronic diseases: concepts, models, evidence and uncertainties]

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Chronic Disease Management

Context:

• Conventional healthcare models struggle with chronic diseases.
• Nurses are key providers, utilizing case management.
• Existing case management approaches lack clear conceptualization and standardization.

Purpose:

• To conduct an in-depth review of case management definitions and concepts.
• To describe various case management models, their components, and reported effectiveness.
• To discuss uncertainties and challenges in case management research and implementation.

Summary:

• Case management, a vital nursing intervention for chronic diseases, suffers from poor conceptualization and diverse applications.
• This review details case management models, essential components, and evidence of effectiveness.
• Identifies research gaps like design heterogeneity and weak component descriptions, and proposes solutions.

Impact:

• Provides a clear conceptual framework for case management in chronic care.
• Highlights critical success factors for implementing effective nursing-led case management.
• Aims to improve the development, evaluation, and comparative analysis of case management interventions.