Congratulations to All Case Managers! It’s Case Management Week 2020!

Pat Stricker, RN, Med
Former Senior
Vice President
TCS Healthcare Technologies

Happy Case Management Week! Congratulations to all case managers for the important contributions you make to patients, families, and the healthcare delivery system, not only this week, but every week and every day of the year.

Your dedication, commitment, and passion make a tremendous difference in the lives of patients and their families. Acting as advocates, educators, coordinators, facilitators, navigators, and resource managers, you help them understand and manage their condition; find and gain access to services; make informed decisions; obtain high-quality, cost-effective care; and achieve improved health outcomes.

Your unique skillset allows you to improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of care, while navigating and managing difficult care transitions in our ever-changing healthcare environment. Case managers are integral members of the healthcare team, and case management is the foundation of the healthcare delivery system.

We also cannot forget to recognize and congratulate the case management staff support members who provide support for the case managers. Without their assistance, it would not be possible for the case managers to carry out their work.

CASE MANAGEMENT WEEK

The purpose of National Case Management Week is to congratulate and celebrate case managers for the work they do. The following is a perfect description of what case managers have been doing for over half a century and will continue to do in the future.

CMSA describes case management as “a collaborative process of assessment, planning, facilitation, care coordination, evaluation and advocacy for options and services to meet an individual’s and family’s comprehensive health needs through communication and available resources to promote patient safety, quality of care, and cost effective outcomes… Case management serves as a means for achieving client wellness and autonomy through advocacy, communication, education, identification of service resources and service facilitation….. The case manager helps identify appropriate providers and facilities throughout the continuum of services, while ensuring that available resources are being used in a timely and cost-effective manner in order to obtain optimum value for both the client and the reimbursement source.”

A secondary goal of Case Management Week is to educate others in the community about case management and the role and importance of case managers. CMSA has worked diligently to ensure the role of the professional case manager is known and respected by all healthcare professionals, policymakers, and consumers. In addition, all of us must take every opportunity to let others know what we do and how our role improves the outcomes of our patients/clients and the entire healthcare system.

 CASE MANAGERS CAN…..

The theme for case management week 2020 is — Case Managers Can…..

Case managers are being asked to think about and articulate what they can do. This is obviously a very long list, but the following are some of the essential things that come to mind for me.

CASE MANAGERS CAN……

• Seamlessly carry out the care management process (assess, plan, facilitate, coordinate, monitor, and evaluate)
• Build relationships with patients/families and other members of the healthcare team
• Act as an advocate and coach
• Be an problem-solver, implementer, and innovator
• Educate, motivate, and empower patients to manage their condition
• Help patients identify and establish goals
• Support patients in making informed decisions to achieve their healthcare goals
• Help patients/families find and access healthcare providers, facilities, services, and resources
• Coordinate transitions of care
• Eliminate or reduce fragmentation of care and services
• Improve the patient experience, quality of care, and health outcomes
• Remove stress and confusion for patients/families
• Guide patients/families in navigating the healthcare system
• Proactively identify and resolve issues, rather than reactively fix problems
• Help patients achieve independence and autonomy
• Ensure efficiency and cost effectiveness
• Discover the delicate balance between patient advocacy and fiscal responsibility – being an advocate for their patient and the healthcare payer
• Improve lives and truly made a difference

These are only a few examples of what case managers do every day.

In closing, I would like to again congratulate and thank each and every one of you for the dedication, commitment, and passion you exhibit.

Remember:
Case Managers can (and do) make a difference every single day, not just during one week in October!