Successful implementation of case management.

Hospitals must critically evaluate all aspects of operations to identify opportunities to cut operating expenses without sacrificing quality of patient care. Many health care organizations are moving toward nurse case management as a possible solution to these concerns. There is a considerable body of literature on the theory and principles of case management, and it is the basis for this article. The purpose of this manuscript, however, is to describe essential factors in the actual application of this theory in building a viable program in a community hospital.