title: Is hospital case management a rationalized myth?
abstract: In this article the adoption of case management processes in US hospitals is discussed. While such process change is prevalent, there is a paucity of systematic empirical evidence that hospital case management improves efficiency or effectiveness. Using an institutional theoretical framework, motivations other than improved efficiency and effectiveness are proposed that may drive hospitals to adopt change to their technical core processes, in the form of case management. Further research using these propositions as an adjunct to cost-benefit analyses would be important to validate the rationale behind the widespread adoption of hospital case management processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Management, John A. Walker College of Business, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608, USA. roggenkampsd@appstate.edu
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Roggenkamp
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D019090:Case Management / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003068:Coercion; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D019091:Critical Pathways; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006302:Health Services Research; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009042:Motivation; D009738:Nursing Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends; D015279:Organizational Culture; D014481:United States