Patterns of health resource utilization, costs, and intensity of need for primary care clients receiving public health nursing case management.

Abstract

Case management has been promoted as a managed care strategy that improves quality of care and contains costs. Health resource utilization patterns and associated costs were examined for a generalized primary care population receiving a public health nursing model of case management intervention during a 30-week period. Subjects were referred by providers practicing in an academic health science center and included two client subsamples: chronically ill adults and younger families requiring health maintenance. Health resource utilization patterns and associated costs were examined in relation to intensity of need for care levels as determined by the Community Health Intensity Rating Scale. Results of this pilot study suggest that during public health nursing case management intervention, health resource utilization patterns changed from the preintervention period. Total health resource utilization costs were correlated with care needs related to health management behavior of the chronically ill.