If he's readmitted, I'll investigate to see whether it was avoidable-and if it was, I'll work with the physician or home health agency to figure out how to keep it from happening again. Essentially, we're putting him into a system where we're always working to keep him healthy. All these extra attentions are signs of a fundamental shift in patient care, according to associate chief operating officer Kevin Sowers. But caregivers, busy with their specific duties, don't have time to oversee every aspect of a case. In part, the Department of Case Management has replaced the Department of Utilization Management, which was eliminated in July 1996.
Case managers manage resources as well, but they have a broader perspective.
They're a true part of the patient care team, working closely with everyone involved in a case to design and carry out an effective plan of care. They may call referring physicians to let them know how their patients' heart surgery went and when they're being discharged. Inside the hospital, they coordinate different providers and departments so that tests, consults, and procedures dovetail without delays or duplications. To provide seamless care, we need to coordinate all the players into an effective team. We're sort of like the hub of the wheel.