A structured approach to medical comanagement of surgical patients

Comanagement is defined as shared responsibility, authority and accountability for the management of a hospitalized patient, and represents a fundamentally different model from traditional medical consultation. Medical comanagement has rapidly proliferated and is now a dominant model of care in American hospitals. Comanagement is most effective when patients are appropriately selected, processes are predetermined and systems are implemented to ensure rigorous and continuous improvement. This article provides a structured approach for conceptualizing and implementing medical comanagement.