Creating the continuum of care.

Continuum of care is a concept involving an integrated system of care that guides and tracks patient over time through a comprehensive array of health services spanning all levels of intensity of care. This article presents a definition of continuum of care, including objectives, basic components, and operating principles. The purpose is to provide a concept that will encourage leadership by offering a vision for the future and providing a framework to guide day-to-day decision-making. Two case scenarios illustrate the effectiveness of the continuum of care concept in providing a framework for delivery of optimum health care to patient populations.