Care management: providing a connecting link

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Administration
• Quality Improvement Science

Background:

• Care management differs from case management by focusing on population-level variances.
• Effective care management integrates continuous quality improvement (CQI) principles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To define the scope and components of comprehensive care management.
• To highlight the role of care management in healthcare systems.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of care management principles, including variance monitoring and regulatory standards.
• Examination of the multidisciplinary team approach and family involvement.
• Assessment of care management's role in managed care and utilization review.

Main Results:

• Care management systematically monitors patient population variances against established benchmarks.
• It incorporates CQI, variance analysis, and adherence to regulatory standards.
• Care management facilitates continuing education and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Conclusions:

• Care management is a vital component of healthcare delivery, ensuring quality and efficiency.
• It requires a holistic, team-based approach involving families.
• Care management supports managed care objectives and utilization review processes.