Mother-infant home care drives quality in a managed care environment.
Advocates of inpatient managed care employing clinical pathways are confident that this patient management strategy reduces cost while promoting equivalent patient outcomes. Other health care professionals are concerned that cost reductions place patients at higher risk for adverse health events. Research is needed to demonstrate the true impact of cost-containment strategies on clinical outcomes. The article describes a study in progress comparing patients conventionally managed by their physicians with similar patients whose overall management involved a nurse case manager. This study explores the issue of resource costs that can be linked to clinical and financial outcome measures.
Malnory
M
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Sinai Samaritan Medical Center, Milwaukee, USA.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008329:Managed Care Programs; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010351:Patient Discharge; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000592:standards*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016730:Program Development; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States