The patient care process: pathways in transition.

Developing patient care processes to include multiple activities of care, the continuum of care, primary diagnoses and co-morbid conditions, risk factors and outcomes of care improves patient care management in general. The Patient Care Process (PCP) is one initiative utilized to support standards of care and optimal resource utilization in our organization. This paper will focus on the issues and opportunities identified with the use of patient care plans, particularly the uniqueness of a new level of outcomes monitoring and evaluation.