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Care pathways: the road to better health services?

Laura Bragato (Azienda ULSS 12 Veneziana, Venezia, Venito, Italy)
Kerry Jacobs (School of Management, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK)

Journal of Health Organization and Management

ISSN: 1477-7266

Article publication date: 1 June 2003

2957

Abstract

This paper describes the development and implementation of care pathways in two orthopaedic units in Scotland. Although originally developed as a tool of project management, care pathways have been promoted internationally as a response to concerns for patient safety, variability in care and increasing costs. Generally, care pathways can be seen as an example of clinician led rather than management led reform. However, it does reflect a wider shift towards process and away from hierarchical approaches to management. Within the UK care pathways have been promoted as a response to the modernisation initiative of the Labour Government. While the initiative was a success in both units it was more difficult to implement care pathways in a trauma rather than an elective unit. In conclusion, it is questionable whether care pathways are a universal response to the requirement for modernisation and service redesign in the NHS.

Keywords

Citation

Bragato, L. and Jacobs, K. (2003), "Care pathways: the road to better health services?", Journal of Health Organization and Management, Vol. 17 No. 3, pp. 164-180. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777260310480721

Publisher

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MCB UP Ltd

Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited

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