Case management: What it is and how it can best be implemented

This paper examines how case management can be implemented successfully. It is the first in a series of reports from The King’s Fund that examine key strategies designed to improve the delivery of integrated care for people with long-term conditions. In common with the other papers to be developed in this series, we draw on a review of the literature. Our aim is to provide an evidence-based resource to support commissioners and providers to implement case management as part of a wider strategy to provide better co-ordinated care for people with long-term conditions. The paper explores these key questions:

• What is case management?
• What are the core components of a case management programme?
• What are the benefits of case management when it is implemented effectively?
• What factors need to be in place for successful case management?