Whether your case management light has been glowing for years, your flame is brand new, or you would like to generate a spark, a spot is waiting for you in New Orleans for CMSA's 2013 Conference & Expo! Standard rates end May 31; visit www.cmsa.org/conference to learn more and register.

In anticipation of the big event, writer and oral historian Sara Roahen, who has a passion for the cuisine and culture of New Orleans, will present '10 Things You Didn't Know About New Orleans' on Tuesday, April 23, on our brief and complimentary conference webinar. Register here.

 

CMSA recently launched CMAG 2012, the third revision of the resource, which is designed to provide case management professionals with assessment and intervention tools to improve patient medication and treatment adherence.

The information and tools presented in this edition serve the professional care management community as the standard by which case managers can advance assistance, coaching, and monitoring efforts with the goal of ultimately improving care delivery and patient outcomes.

Access your copy at www.cmsa.org/cmag

 

Integrated Case Management (ICM) training is an advanced educational program designed to provide case managers with the skills needed to develop an alliance with the patient/client using motivational interviewing skills while disentangling physical, psychological, social, and health system barriers to improvement.

The spring program begins May 1 with a series of webinars and home study, followed by 1.5 day face-to-face training at CMSA’s Annual Conference & Expo.

 

As part of CMSA's recent membership enhancements, CMSA members now have access to all 120+ continuing education courses housed in the CMSA Educational Resource Library, included with your membership at no additional cost. Both Health Information Technology Survey Webinars have recently been added to the ERL, which have been approved for Nursing hours.

In addition, take advantage of discounted member pricing on 2012 Extended Conference course tickets and packages through July 31, 2013!

 

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

The results of the 2012 Health Information Technology (HIT) Survey have been very interesting. Of course this is a key interest of mine, since I am both a care manager and a nurse responsible for helping to design care management systems.

While reviewingTrend Report #3, which will be released soon, I was surprised to find that only 17% of the respondents felt their care management software allowed them "to spend more time with their patients"! That was a decrease from 22% in the 2008 survey. In addition, contrary to the expectation that we would see more functionality in care management systems this year than we did two or four years ago, the survey reported a decline in almost all areas.

 

As a partner with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s educational program, CMSA members in all settings have taken advantage of 38 free online programs!

These online programs include case studies, videos, feedback-based learning, and print - all designed to support awareness of comparative effectiveness and its value in shared decision-making and comparing treatment options in a wide range of conditions, from breast and prostate cancer, to cardiovascular diseases, mental health, diabetes, and more.

Accreditation for many of the programs expire soon, so bookmark www.ce.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov  and keep learning!

 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule on April 3 outlining standards that Navigators in Federally-facilitated and State Partnership Marketplaces must meet, and clarifying earlier guidance about the Navigator program.

Navigators are organizations that will provide unbiased information to consumers about health insurance, the new Health Insurance Marketplace, qualified health plans, and public programs including Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

 

Join Bruce Berger Consulting on August 15-16 in Atlanta, Ga., for comMIt™ (Comprehensive Motivational Interviewing Training).  This training program teaches health care professionals how to use the principles of motivational interviewing (MI) with patients to improve adherence with health behaviors and hence, produce better outcomes.

CMSA Members receive a $50 discount.

 

Through its network of generous donors, the Case Management Foundation helps to develop innovative projects and programs that contribute to the case management field and the people it serves. Attending CMSA's Annual Conference? Don't forget to stop by the CMF booth for more information about projects, programs, and to find out how YOU can become a part of the future of case management!