Although case management is not new, in recent decades the scope of this concept has been expanded and formalized in numerous hospital settings. The core components of case management are assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. When rendered successfully, these components function in a circular, interdependent process, e.g., evaluation leads to reassessment.
Various case management models exist, but most systems involve a nursing professional who coordinates and monitors care and outcomes of care given to clients by multiple services. Although aspects of care coordination and monitoring have always been part of the nursing profession, case management responsibilities shift the traditional focus from service provision to service coordination: "Service coordination is defined as the linkage of clients to service providers in the community, and involves the processing of referral forms, delegation of tasks to other healthcare workers, and coordination of interventions with the client."
The case management approach is beneficial for patients, medical staff, and hospital administration. Appropriate case management results in more effective access to services for the patient, increased individual attention to patient psychosocial and health needs, and reduced cost of hospital stays. In addition, the interdisciplinary nature of case management allows for greater interaction between nursing professionals and their peers, thus broadening nurses' perspectives: "When performing the role of case management, nurse case managers are vested with the authority and accountability required to negotiate with multiple providers and are required to utilize in depth knowledge and skill to coordinate the care of individual clients."
The efficacy of case management for the nursing profession is evidenced by its endorsement by the American Nurses Association. Case management enables nurses to assist their clients in nego...