CMSA'S Pulse eNewsletter

ICM (Integrated Case Management) training is an advanced educational program designed to provide case managers coming from either medical or behavioral health backgrounds with skills such as performing systematic complexity assessments and developing/carrying out comprehensive and coordinated physical and mental health care plans.

The next scheduled Section 2 will take place in Long Beach, CA, on Friday, June 24 & Saturday, June 25. This face-to-face session falls right on the heels of the CMSA 26th Annual Conference & Expo, also in Long Beach, from June 21-23. Come early and join us for the conference, then finish your week with the final session of the ICM training.

Visit http://solutions.cmsa.org/acton/media/10442/icmtraining to view the full article online.

CMSA's Annual Conference & Expo is just one month away! If you haven't registered yet but are still considering attending, don't worry: There's still time. Our hand-picked keynotes, pre-conference events and opening night activities you'll find only in Long Beach!

Remember: CMSA members receive a $150 discount on the cost of registration, and groups of three or more registering together receive a $100 per person discount.

Visit http://solutions.cmsa.org/acton/media/10442/cmsa-annual-conference--expo-highlights to view the full article online.

Supported by funding from NACDS FOUNDATION, a new eight-hour e-learning program, Comprehensive Motivational Interviewing Training for Health Professionals, is now available. This training uses a sense-making approach (Berger BA and Villaume WA, Motivational Interviewing for Health Care Professionals: A Sensible Approach, APhA Press, Washington, D.C., 2013) to motivational interviewing. The program can be completed within a three-month window and is approved for 8 hours of nurse, pharmacist and physician continuing education credit. It is based on the authors' 25 years of experience in teaching motivational interviewing to health care professionals. It costs $225.

CMSA members can receive a 10 percent rebate check by e-mailing their receipt to bbergerconsulting@gmail.com along with their mailing address. Go to: http://nacds.learnercommunity.com/ to register. For more information, contact education@nacds.org. To view an excerpt from the program, follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX4XXbikpQM

Visit http://nacds.learnercommunity.com/ to view the full article online.

As you likely know, the Case Management Society of America (CMSA) — the world's largest and most influential professional case management organization— works to provide case/care managers, social workers and other healthcare practitioners across the care continuum with resources to be more efficient, effective and competitive.

However, did you know that over the past 25 years CMSA has done important industry work such as developing the Standards of Practice for Case Management and working on title protection for case management?

If you already know these facts, you are probably already an official member of CMSA's growing and diverse community. If not, we'd love to provide you with additional resources to help you achieve your professional goals.

Visit http://solutions.cmsa.org/acton/media/10442/cmsatoday-mar2016 to view the full article online.

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

Usually you think looking for a new software involves just that – evaluating different software products to find the one that best fits your needs. While that is true, you have to realize that you are also selecting a vendor and you need to be sure they also fit your needs. The product and vendor come as a "package."

Think of the software system as the "heart" of your program. If you were having heart problems that limited your ability to perform your normal daily activities and continued to worsen, even with medications and treatments (work-arounds), would that be acceptable? Or might you, at some point, consider having a heart transplant in order to improve and save your life? While this is a little dramatic, it does correlate with how important it is for your business to find the right software system (the "heart" of your program), as well as the right vendor (the surgeon) to help revive and improve our business processes.

Visit https://www.naylornetwork.com/cmsapulse/articles/index-v3.asp?aid=379547&issueID=53620 to view the full article online.

-Final rule prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability; enhances language assistance for individuals with limited English proficiency; and protects individuals with disabilities-

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on May 13 issued a final rule to advance health equity and reduce health care disparities. Under the rule, individuals are protected from discrimination in health care on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability and sex, including discrimination based on pregnancy, gender identity and sex stereotyping. In addition to implementing Section 1557’s prohibition on sex discrimination, the final rule also enhances language assistance for people with limited English proficiency and helps to ensure effective communication for individuals with disabilities. The protections in the final rule and Section 1557 regarding individuals’ rights and the responsibilities of many health insurers, hospitals, and health plans administered by or receiving federal funds from HHS build on existing federal civil rights laws to advance protections for underserved, underinsured, and often excluded populations.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Visit http://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2016/05/13/hhs-finalizes-rule-to-improve-health-equity-under-affordable-care-act.html to view the full article online.

-Data serves as a rich resource on Part B costs, services, and trends-

As entrepreneurs, investors, data scientists, researchers, policy experts, government employees, and others prepare to gather for the seventh annual Health Datapalooza conference in Washington, D.C., the Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) is releasing updated data to increase transparency in the Medicare program. On May 5, CMS posted the third annual release of the Physician and Other Supplier Utilization and Payment public use data. In addition, CMS is announcing the availability of more timely data for researchers.

"This week’s announcements underscore CMS’ ongoing commitment to releasing data and information to promote a vibrant health information economy," said CMS Chief Data Officer Niall Brennan.

Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Visit https://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Press-releases/2016-Press-releases-items/2016-05-05.html to view the full article online.

CMSA members: Save $300 on any of the events below when you use promo code CMSA300.

The 2nd Annual PCMH & Team-Based Care Summit
June 21-22 • Alexandria, VA
The PCMH & Team-Based Care Summit gathers team members from patient centered medical homes, community health homes, community health centers, and those in advanced primary care to explore the positive clinical and operational impact of behavioral health integration, delivery of high quality care and elements of team-based care. Discuss how behavioral health integration can improve patient engagement, disease-specific outcomes, and care coordination.

Visit http://www.worldcongress.com/events/HL16010/ to view the full article online.