Advancing Complex Case Management Competencies in a Health Care System

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this literature review is to evaluate evidence to support advanced education for hospital-based nurse case managers to address the discharge needs of medically complex patients who have extended hospital stays. PRIMARY PRACTICE SETTING: Acute care hospital and hospital systems. FINDINGS/CONCLUSION: Studies on hospital length of stay are prevalent as are studies of effective case management and the importance of a comprehensive education program. Correlating effective case management to successful disposition of long-stay patients and efficacy of discharge planning education is the focus of this review of evidence. Creation of advanced case management competency education will benefit patients, staff, and the health care system by increasing the skill level to promote early recognition of discharge barriers in complex long-stay patients. IMPLICATIONS FOR CASE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE: Continued focus on affordability in health care will keep management of hospital length of stay high on the priority list. Pressure to create efficient patient management strategies leading to timely discharge disposition of medically complex patients through barrier mitigation and intervention requires effective case management tools.