Care Coordination and Transition Management (CCTM) and Case Management—What’s the Difference?

Care coordination and transition management (CCTM) involves individualized patient-centered assessment and care planning across settings, providers, and levels of care.

  • CCTM is a practice. It occurs wherever patient care is delivered (e.g., hospitals, clinics, VAs, outpatient centers, doctor’s offices, patient homes, and more).
  • CCTM is broad and the umbrella for other roles such as the nurse navigator and case manager. Usually, the navigator and case manager are dealing with an individual patient/family over a time-limited period of time. 
  • CCTM, in its broadest sense, deals with populations of patients over time, especially those with chronic illnesses/diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, etc.

Case management deals more with utilization of resources. 

For example, helping the patient with insurance and payment issues and health resources needed when they return home (e.g., home health nurse, supplies). The case manager also helps with arrangements to a rehab or nursing home if the patient is not going home immediately after discharge.

This is why a case manager isn't always a nurse.

View: CCTM Certification Exam and Case Management Comparison