Creating a professional practice model for postacute care: adapting the Chronic Care Model for long-term care.

The Chronic Care Model (CCM), a patient-centered model for primary medical care, was adapted as a professional practice model for nursing in postacute care. The development and implementation of the middle range theory is presented. The CCM uses six constructs: community, health care system, self-management, delivery system design, decision support, and clinical information system.