Outpatient visit planning: turning episodic care into comprehensive care

Outpatient visit planning is a method of identifying a patient's major health needs and developing a plan for care on a per visit basis. It assures attention to chronic disease followup, prevention, and educational needs in spite of patient compliance. The visit planner, ideally a registered nurse, is the focal point for coordinating the services of the entire team of ambulatory health professionals. Visit planning is the gateway to true comprehensive care.