Investigated phenomenon: This thesis studies the role of the nurse case manager in the management and taking charge of mentally ill patients, to evaluate efficiency and efficacy in reducing costs of assistance, giving a better continuity of care after dimission and in reducing the rehospitalisation index. Route of the investigation: A systematic revision of literature was conducted, using background and foreground query, through data banks and internet sites; moreover, ongoing experimentations taking place in Hospital Ramazzini of Carpi were included.
Main results: the main results that emerged during data processing were improvements in the well-being of patients who got in touch with case managers, a decrease in accesses of emergency/urgency areas, decreased aggressivity and depressive symptoms, as well as improvements in utilisation of social and health resources. It also provides support to the patient and his family during the hospital-territory shift.
Conclusions: the case manager appears to be essential in realizing treatment that promote efficacy and efficiency in the measures taken, by means of individualisating the responses to the global needs of a person. The case manager increases the quality of life, the patients satisfaction and their assist compliance, reduces hospitalisation, optimises health and social resources; furthermore, enhances the self-management and the reintegration in the social environment of the patient and his family.
