Reducing utilisation of hospital services by case management: a randomised controlled trial
Antony C T Leung, Daniel C N Yau, Chi-pun Liu, Chak-sum Yeoh, Tak-yi Chui, Iris Chi and Nelson W S Chow
Australian Health Review
28(1) 79 - 86
Published: 2004
Abstract
A 12-month randomised controlled trial was conducted in Hong Kong to evaluate the effectiveness of case management provided to a group of home-dwelling, frail elderly patients (control group: n = 47; intervention group: n = 45) in terms of utilisation of hospital services by these patients. Significant reductions (significance at P<0.05) in mean total number of hospital bed-days (P<0.001), mean total episodes of hospital admissions (P<0.001), and mean total number of attendances at the outpatient department (P< 0.05) were observed when the baseline and post-intervention differences between the intervention and control groups were compared. The study demonstrated that utilisation of hospital services could be significantly reduced when a group of elderly patients and their caregivers received timely interventions and appropriate services through case management services.https://doi.org/10.1071/AH040079
© AHHA 2004