Structured, multidisciplinary plans of care designed to support the implementation of clinical guidelines and protocols. They are designed to support clinical management, clinical and non-clinical resource management, clinical audit and also financial management. CPs offer detailed guidance for each stage in the management of a patient (treatments, interventions etc.) with a specific condition over a given time period and include progress and outcomes details.
CPs may also be referred to as Integrated Care Pathways, Multidisciplinary pathways of care, Pathways of Care, Care Maps, and Collaborative Care Pathways.