Southeastern Med Recognizes National Case Management Week October 10-16

CAMBRIDGE, Ohio, Oct. 1, 2010 – Southeastern Med joins the American Case Management Association to recognize case managers during National Case Management Week, October 10-16, for the significant contributions they make to provide patients with quality healthcare.

Case management is an important part of the healthcare system today. Rising healthcare costs and the aging population has resulted in a need for better management of healthcare toward more cost-effective outcomes. Case management professionalsadvocate for the needs of patients, assuring that individual cases are promptly attended to along the healthcare chain.

“Case management is a necessary part of the healthcare system,” said Debbie Goodhart, RN, CCM, case manager at Southeastern Med. “Case managers assist in the financial side of healthcare, but also focus on each patient to meet his or her individual needs. They also coordinate care, make appropriate referrals for care need and provide the patient with community resources, all with the patient’s safety first and foremost.”
At Southeastern Med, Social Services, Utilization Review and Case Management form the Quality Care Management (QCM) Department, which requires a registered nurse and a licensed social worker on each unit of the medical center to provide assessment, referrals and discharge planning to patients. This team also works with third-party payers to ensure patients’ needs are met.

“Our team of case managers work together to make a difference in the lives of our patients,” said Nancy Neff, BSW, LSW, CCM, social worker at Southeastern Med. “We understand that healthcare is ever changing and resources are scarce. We are committed to achieving desirable outcomes for all stakeholders, including our patients, their support systems and the providers and payers alike.”

Because no two patients are alike, case management can be a complex profession. Each case is unique and requires a basic knowledge of individual differences that arise through cultural, socio-economic, ethnic and other factors. Case management professionals look after the health concerns of the most chronically ill and injured patients of all ages, especially members of the aging population who find it continually more difficult to look after themselves.

Case management professionals pay strict attention to a patient’s individual needs and guide patients to follow medication, dietary and exercise recommendations during their period of treatment. This is an ever-challenging process considering numerous individuals may be involved in a single case. Ultimately, case managers have the ability to improve access to care, ensure quality and safety as they design the plan of care to meet the needs of their patients and ensure strategies are in place to contain increasing healthcare costs.