Impact of territorial case management on hospital admissions for complex chronic patients in Catalonia (Spain).

BACKGROUND

Chronic diseases are the most frequent health problem in the population. The development of case management, as an advanced care practice, is a basic strategy in the care of complex chronicity. The Catalan Health Plan establishes general guidelines for chronic care, linked to the role of the nurse case management.

OBJECTIVE

The objective is to analyse the impact on the health system of shared monitoring, by the chronicity care team and its primary care reference team, in patients identified as complex chronic diseases (CCP) or with advanced disease (MACA), in regarding hospital admissions.

METHODS

Retrospective quasi-experimental intervention study, with pre-post analysis, comparing each patient one year before and one year after being incorporated into the case management portfolio of a team made up of 14 nurses, 2 family medicine specialists and one social worker, with attention 365 days a year, 24 h a day.

RESULTS

Regarding the decrease in hospital admissions, an average decrease (2013-2021) of 56 % was observed for MACA and 53 % in CCP. Statistical analysis based on a Poisson regression model with offset demonstrates that the intervention program had a significant effect on reducing hospital admissions, from a team formed from primary care itself.

CONCLUSIONS

The organization and structure of a chronic care team such as the one described, in an integrated manner with other levels of care, allows for a significant reduction in hospital admissions.