Table 5 Effect of case management on patient and healthcare utilization outcomes

Wulff, 2008 [23]

2/3 RCTs reported some dimensions of QoL (e.g., well-being) among CM patients showed significant higher improvement than CG (p < .05).

19/39 (49%) positive

Joo, 2019 [9, 22]

2/3 RCTs reported significant greater improvement of generic and cancer specific QoL among CM group than CG (p < .05).

1/2 quasi-experimental study reported significant better improvement of QoL in CM group than CG (p < .05).

Yin, 2020 [24]

5/7 RCTs reported significant improvement QoL of cancer patients in CM group (p < .01).

Li, 2014 [19]

4/8 RCTs reported improved general QoL (p < .05), social and functional well-being (p = .01), mental and physical QoL (p = 0.03) in CM group.

Chan, 2020 [11]

1/2 RCT reported equivocal effects on HRQoL during treatment.

2/2 RCTs reported no difference in HRQoL during survivorship.

1/1 RCT reported superior effects on disease specific HRQoL, but only for unmarried women at one month during diagnosis to survivorship (p < .05).

Aubin, 2012 [10]

4/9 RCTs showed significant improvement of QoL in CM group than CG (p < .05).

McQueen, 2017 [26]

2/2 RCTs showed no differences in QoL, though 1 RCT reported a trend of increased quality of life at six month follow up though at 12 months follow up.

Functional status

Psychological function

Joo,2019 [9, 22]

1/1 quasi-experimental study reported no difference in anxiety and depression between CM and CG.

8/18 (44%) positive

Li, 2014 [19]

4/6 RCTs reported significant effects on emotional upset, intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and depression in CM group (p < .05).

Chan, 2014 [11]

3/3 RCTs reported no significant difference in anxiety and depression between CM group and control group.

Aubin, 2012 [10]

3/6 RCT reported significant reduction in depression in CM group (p < .05).

1/1 RCT reported significant reduced psychological morbidity in CM group (p < .05).

1/1 RCT reported no significant differences of psychosocial functioning in CM group.

Physical function

Wulff, 2008 [23]

1/1 RCT reported significant improved arm function in CM group than CG (p = 0.037).

4/7 (57%) positive

Aubin, 2012 [10]

1/1RCT reported significant long-term improvements in sexual functioning in CM group (p < .05).

1/1 RCT reported significantly higher percentage of normal arm function two months after surgery in CM group (p < .05).

1/1 RCT reported significant improvements in physical functioning (p < .05).

Chan, 2020 [11]

3/3 RCTs reported equivocal effects on physical activity compared with usual care during survivorship.

Role function

Joo, 2019 [9, 22]

1/1 RCT reported non-significant difference in sick leave days post-surgery between CM and control group (p = 0.122).

2/6 (33%) positive

McQueen, 2017 [26]

2/2 RCTs reported CM have some positive impact on return to work rates, while meta-analysis showed no significant differences of patient numbers returning to work.

2/3 studies (2 RCTs, 1 controlled trial) reported a trend of fewer days in CM group, while no significant difference was found in sick leave days.

1/1 controlled trail reported less problems with social adjustment and returning to house work in CM group than CG.

1/1 RCT reported no discernible difference in the pattern of changes to working hours.

Aubin, 2012 [10]

1/1 RCT reported significant reduction in physical role impact (p < .05).

Chan, 2020 [11]

1/1 RCT reported no significance between groups in role function.

Cognitive function

Wulff, 2008 [23]

1/1 RCT reported uncertainty among CM patients showed significant higher change than CG (p < .05).

8/9 (89%) positive

Li, 2014 [19]

1/1 RCT reported significant better improvement in uncertainty in CM group (p < .05).

Yin, 2020 [24]

2/2 RCTs reported significant decreased uncertainty in CM group (p < .05).

Chan, 2020 [11]

1/1 RCT reported no significance between groups in cognitive function.

Aubin, 2012 [10]

3/3 RCTs reported significant decrease in uncertainty (p < .05).

1/1 RCT reported significant differences in health perceptions (p < .05).

Emotional function

Wulff, 2008 [23]

1/3 RCTs reported significant higher improvement in mood among CM patients than CG (p < .01).

4/7 (57%) positive

Aubin, 2012 [10]

2/3 RCTs reported significant better scores for emotional functioning in CM group (p < .05).

Chan, 2020 [11]

1/1 RCT reported greater improvements in mood disturbance in CM group at the first and third month during diagnosis to survivorship.

Social function

Aubin, 2012 [10]

1/1 RCT reported significant improved social functioning in CM group (p < .05).

1/3 RCT reported higher support by family and friends as well as a significant increase in the overall social support and nurse/physician social support in CM group (p < .05).

1/1 RCT reported dyadic adjustment did not differ statistically from the CG.

2/5 (40%) positive

Joo,2019 [9, 22]

1/1 quasi-experimental study reported significant more decrease in symptom severity in the CM group than CG (p < .000).

18/24 (75%) positive

1/1 RCT reported no significant differences in self-reported levels of fatigue between CM and control group.

Wulff, 2008 [23]

2/3 RCTs reported significant less symptom distress, enforced social dependency in CM group (P = 0.03).

Li, 2014 [19]

3/4 RCTs reported significant less pain, nausea, fatigue, discomfort in CM group than CG (p < .05).

Chan, 2020 [11]

2/2 RCTs reported superior effects on symptom burden outcomes during treatment and survivorship in CM group.

McQueen, 2017 [26]

1/1 RCT reported no significant differences in self-reported levels of fatigue.

Aubin, 2012 [10]

3/6 RCTs reported significant differences in symptoms and symptom control between CM group and CG (p < .05).

2/4 RCTs reported significant improved pain control in CM group (p < .05).

1/1 RCT reported significantly less severe dyspnoea and peripheral neuropathy in CM group (p < .05).

1/1 RCT reported no significant difference in fatigue.

Joo,2019 [9, 22]

1/1 RCT reported significant difference in self-efficacy between CM and control group (p < .01).

1/4 (25%) positive

Chan, 2020 [11]

2/2 RCTs reported equivocal effects on self-management/behavioural outcomes during treatment.

1/1 RCT reported no differences in self-efficacy between groups.

Wulff, 2008 [23]

1/2 RCT reported significant higher 2-year survival rate of late-stage patients in CM group (p < .05), and significantly more patients in CM group died at home (p < .05).

4/6 (67%) positive

Aubin, 2012 [10]

3/4 RCT reported significant increased survival in CM group (p < .05).

Joo, 2019 [9, 22]

1/1 quasi-experimental study reported significant higher satisfaction level of patients and family in the CM group (p < .05).

6/11 (55%) positive

Wulff, 2008 [23]

3/3 RCTs reported significant higher patient satisfaction in intervention group (p < .05).

Li, 2014 [19]

1/1 RCT reported no significant higher patient satisfaction in CM group over control group.

Aubin, 2012 [10]

4/5 study RCTs reported no significant difference in patient satisfaction with care and service use.

Chan, 2020 [11]

1/1 RCT reported significant improvements in satisfaction with treatment and rehabilitation in CM group (p < .05).

Joo, 2019 [9, 22]

1/1 quasi-experimental study reported no significant difference in direct health costs between CM group and control group.

1/2 controlled before-and-after study reported significant difference in monthly cancer-related medical costs between CM and control group (p < .05), 1/2 controlled before-and-after study reported no significant difference in total costs.

1/11 (10%) positive

Wulff, 2008 [23]

2/2 RCTs reported no significant difference in program contact, salary, overall costs, etc., between CM group and control group.

Yin,2020 [24]

2/2 RCTs reported no significant difference in health care costs (e.g., reimbursements or overall charges).

Aubin, 2012 [10]

2/2 RCTs reported no significant difference in costs between CM and control groups.

Chan, 2020 [11]

1/1 RCT reported a significantly lower cost per person in the 6-cycle chemotherapy subgroup (p < .05) and no difference in health service utilization during treatment.

1/1 RCT reported no difference in overall cost during diagnosis to survivorship.

Joo, 2019 [9, 22]

1/1 quasi-experimental study reported unplanned readmission rate caused by infection significantly decreased in the CM group compared with the CG (1.5% vs. 4.7% in the CG, p = .002).

2/2 controlled before-and-after study reported CM group had significant lower inpatient and ICU admission rate than control group (p < .05).

3/4 (75%) positive

Wulff, 2008 [23]

1/1 RCT reported no significant difference in hospital admission or readmission rates between CM and control group.

Joo, 2019 [9, 22]

1/1 quasi-experimental study reported no significant difference in length of stay between CM and control groups.

1/1 controlled before-and-after study reported no significant difference in ICU days between CM and control group.

1/5 (20%) positive

Wulff, 2008 [23]

2/2 RCTs reported no significant change in length of stay

Aubin, 2012 [10]

1/1 RCT reported no significant change in hospitalization, while reported significant increase in cancer patient referrals to home care.

Wulff, 2008 [23]

1/1 RCT reported more cancer-specific therapies (e.g., breast-conserving surgery, radiation therapy) received in CM group than control group (p < .05).

7/7 (100%) positive

Joo, 2019 [9, 22]

1/1 quasi-experimental study reported the rate of patient continuing treatment in the institution significantly increased in the CM group than the control group (93.8% vs. 84.8%, in the CG, p < .001).

1/1 RCT reported the accordance of care increased by 0.20 in the CM group and decreased by 0.29 points in the CG (p = .009).

Wu, 2021 [25]

3/3 studies (1 RCT & 2 cohort studies) reported a significant 60% higher hormone therapy acceptance rate, but no significant difference in chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with a combined acceptant rate of more than 61 and 142%.

Meta-analysis of 3 studies (1 quasi-experimental study and 2 cohort studies) showed a significantly higher treatment completion rate than control group.

Aubin, 2012 [10]

1/1 RCT reported that older women with breast cancer were significantly more likely to receive breast-conserving surgery, and those women who received breast-conserving surgery were more likely to receive adjuvant radiation therapy in CM group.

Wu, 2021 [25]

5/5 cohort studies reported a decrease in the time from diagnosis to treatment (from 3.8 to 17.2 days) in intervention group, and had statistically significant shorter time than control group.

5/5 (100%) positive