What Factors Influence Case Managers' Resource Allocation Decisions? A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Objective. Case managers' decisions directly affect the amount and type of services individual clients receive, as well as overall home care program available resources. We know little about the resource allocation decision-making processes of case managers. The question guiding this review was, ``What factors influence case managers' resource allocation decisions in home care?'' Methods. The authors did a systematic literature review to answer the above question. After assessing the articles for inclusion, they assessed the quality (internal validity) of each included study. They described the characteristics of the studies and provided a synthesis of the findings of the primary studies. Results. Five qualitative and 6 quantitative articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. The findings of these studies are equivocal. Despite this, the authors were able to create a preliminary taxonomy of the factors that influence case manager resource allocation decisions. Despite evidence-based decision making receiving so much attention in contemporary health care literature, the authors found a near absence of reference to research use in the context of case manager decision making. Conclusions. Currently, there are relatively few studies in the literature on the factors that influence, and how they are used in, case manager resource allocation decisions. Studies are often lacking in terms of conceptual clarity and theoretical framing. They are often not guided by theoretical frameworks and are not situated within the larger field of decision making or even within the clinical decision-making literature. These issues are impeding progress in this area.