Integrating disease management and wound care critical pathways in home care.
This article discusses the need for an integration of the concepts of disease management and critical pathways as a foundation of a healthcare delivery system. The steps in the process for development, implementation, and evaluation of a wound care critical pathway are reviewed and variance classifications are defined. Co-pathways and algorithms are presented as methodologies for dealing with variances. A template of a wound care critical pathway that has been developed for use in the home care setting is included.
Barr
J E
JE
Mercy Medical Center, Rockville Centre, New York, USA. JEB617@aol.com
D000465:Algorithms; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019091:Critical Pathways / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019468:Disease Management; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D009737:Nursing Records; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000451:nursing*