Outcomes system implementation for subacute care

The emergence of subacute care, seen as a cost-effective alternative to other, more expensive settings, is an important option for case managers. The current, rapid growth of subacute care, the diversity of subacute programs, the differences in patient types, and the lack of consistent standards to define subacute care illustrate the critical need for the case manager's role in balancing quality and cost. The lack of solid clinical outcomes data for patients treated in subacute care make it difficult for case managers to assess quality. Outcomes data, as a measurable dimension of quality, may include clinical effectiveness measures, associated costs, and patient/family satisfaction. Outcomes data can be used as a tool by the case manager to facilitate the coordination of patient care. Although there is an increased consumer interest in outcomes across all health care modalities, there is limited outcomes research available to document the efficacy of subacute care. As the pressure increases for outcomes data on subacute care by consumers and payers, efforts toward facility implementation of outcomes systems to assess subacute care are growing. The unique challenges to outcomes implementation in a skilled nursing facility-based setting are discussed, and strategies for successful implementation are presented. Basic subacute outcomes implementation issues of organizational support, staff participation, and data collection are reviewed. Ideas for case management involvement with facility implementation are discussed.