Continuum of care

Continuum of Care: The continuum of care matches ongoing needs of the individuals being served by the case management process with the appropriate level and type of health, medical, financial, legal and psychosocial care for services within a setting or across multiple settings.

Case Managers Role in the Continuum of Care

The role of the case manager will vary depending where in the continuum the patient is. In the nonacute setting, the focus may be on prevention of illness or deterioration of illness. If the patient is in the acute setting the case manager will coordinate care and/or services. 

The role of the case manager when the patient transitions from one care provider to another is to ensure continuity of care. The case manager is in a unique position to communicate with multiple providers to make certain the appropriate information is communicated to ensure a safe transition.