Wisconsin medical center refines patient care as it raises productivity

Appleton (WI) Medical Center's general medicine unit treats patients with such conditions as heart failure, pneumonia and infections, but is also part of a sweeping attempt to change the way the center cares for patients. The changes include redefining the roles of doctors, nurses and other caregivers. Appleton's parent system, ThedaCare, has been testing and refining the "Collaborative Care" model in the redesigned general medicine unit since February 2007.