Requirements for Hospital Case Management

The case management model of inpatient hospital care was originally introduced in the late 1980s to enhance patient care and satisfaction, while reducing the cost of service delivery. Effective case management involves developing a system that involves interdisciplinary participation, continual assessment and monitoring, and a comprehensive treatment plan that can be achieved through a supportive environment. There are many models of case management and these often differ depending upon the type of patient illness and complexity of care required, e.g., trauma care case management and wraparound case management.

Teamwork

• Effective case management requires the entire hospital to work as a synchronized team with the same mission and goals. Management must introduce a system of open communications that allows the free flow of information between all departments and divisions. Staff must all be given clear roles and assignments and be charged with the responsibility of delivering their own aspects of the case management plan. A computer system that provides essential personnel with easy access to patient records can increase speed of care provision and lessen errors that traditional paper patient records can cause.

Wraparound

• There are many models of case management for children. One of the most common models is the wraparound system that requires the parents and family to be an integral part of developing a case management plan for the child patient's specific needs, by addressing those needs across all aspects of the child's life, including home, school, and social activities and participation.

Trauma Care

• To reduce mortality of the seriously injured and ill patients in trauma care, case management requires the efficient use of wide-ranging and complex interrelated diagnostic tests, medical and surgical procedures, therapeutic interventions and associated ancillary services. Without expert trauma care case managers to oversee the provision of these multiple systems, patient complications increase, as do costs through duplication of services and poor use of resources.