Case management in long-term care: options and opportunities

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Social Work
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• Case management is integral to community-based long-term care service delivery.
• It focuses on coordinating services for individual clients.
• Existing models emphasize service coordination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore an expanded role for case managers in community-based long-term care.
• To apply resource dependence theory to interorganizational relationships in this context.
• To identify opportunities for case managers to influence local delivery systems.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical application of resource dependence theory.
• Analysis of interorganizational relationships.
• Conceptual framework development for expanded case management roles.

Main Results:

• Case managers' resource allocation is a key intervention point.
• Understanding interorganizational dependencies can guide strategic actions.
• Expanded roles can enhance system-level efficiency and client outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Case managers can leverage resource dependence theory for greater impact.
• An expanded role involves proactive resource management and system intervention.
• This approach can optimize community-based long-term care delivery.