Care management: outcomes-based practice for the primary nurse

Managed care penetration is increasingly dramatically in most health care markets across the country. The impact is the radical redesign of health care systems and the reshaping of the approach to health care from an illness model to a wellness, health promotion model. Integrated delivery systems will facilitate the patient's journey through the continuum of care. The article describes how one institution is streamlining that journey through the integration of care management into the role of the primary nurse who provides direct care.