With the holiday season upon us, CMSA would like you to be aware of the National Office holiday schedule for operations. Our goal is to ensure that all of your service requirements are met through the holiday season.

Please click the link below to view the office schedule and other important details.  We wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season and all the best for the New Year!

 

In order to provide more time for the CMSA community to attend online sessions from CMSA's 2012 Annual Conference, CMSA has decided to extend the availability of Extended Conference packages from December 31, 2012 to July 31, 2013. 

If you have already purchased a ticket package, you now have 7 more months to enjoy the courses at your leisure.  If you have not already purchased a package, click the link below to view course offerings and purchase your tickets!

 

The Case Management Foundation would like to thank CMSA Members and the community for their support in 2012!

A contribution to the Case Management Foundation is the perfect gift for anyone on your list who shares your commitment to supporting case managers and their clients.  Donating is easy and tax-deductible; simply specify an honorary or memorial donation, and let us do the rest.

Our progress in supporting case management is made possible by the generous donations of friends like you!

 

Now through March 15, 2013, CMSA is accepting applications for the Case Management Practice Improvement Award and Case Management Research Award, which pay tribute to the case management individual, group, or organization offering the most outstanding research or evidence-based practice program.

Each award recognizes programs that use findings from a research or quality/performance improvement (QI/PI) project for innovation in the advancement of case management practice and/or improved client outcomes.

 

Pat Stricker, RN, MEd
Senior Vice President
TCS Healthcare Technologies

Providing the best care for patients is the primary goal of all health care providers, including case managers who may have more contact with a patient than any particular attending physician.  In fact, case managers are in the unique position of building relationships with their patients due to the simple fact that they have more opportunities to assess, coordinate, and track their care.  And with today’s emerging communication options, such as mobile text messaging and social media, the opportunities to connect are increasing quickly and will literally transform the way medical personnel communicate with their patients.

 

Caregiver resources are available on Medicare.gov/caregivers. These resources provide insights about choosing a drug plan, selecting a hospital, finding local support and care options, and more. And be sure to remind caregivers that many Medicare preventive services are available to their loved one with no co-pay, like an annual wellness visit, immunizations, and some cancer screenings. It’s just another way you can help caregivers.

 

 

ONC and Script Your Future announce video challenge winners
Source: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

The winners of the Managing Meds Video Contest all have different ways of using health technology — like their mobile phones and the Internet — to help them remember to take their medications. The contest was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) and the National Consumers League-led Script Your Future campaign.

 

Source: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

On Dec. 14, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that three states have made significant progress in setting up their own affordable health insurance marketplaces, or Exchanges.  The District of Columbia, Kentucky, and New York are conditionally approved to operate a State-based Exchange, which means they are on track to run the marketplace in 2014.

 

Through a joint collaboration, CMSA and ABQAURP have created a sub-specialty certification for Transitions of Care (TOC) as part of the specialized credentials available through ABQAURP’s Health Care Quality Management Board Certification (HCQM). Created to recognize the importance of TOC, this credential is the first one to support professionals – as a team and individually – who demonstrate competence and skills in providing the key elements of TOC.

For additional details about the certification and the available sub-specialties, visit www.abqaurp.org/certification.asp

CMSA Members: Receive a 10% discount on the HCQM board exam with promo code CMSAEXAM.

 

How is Technology Changing the Practice of Care Management?

TCS Healthcare Technologies (TCS), the Case Management of Society of America (CMSA), and ABQAURP are hosting a two-part complimentary webinar that will highlight the major findings from the 2012 Health Information Technology Survey. 
 
The first webinar was presented in early December; the second webinar is scheduled for February 5, 2013.  Both webinars will showcase major findings of the new survey and review some key trend lines over the last six years.