Case Management

Role of the Registered Nurse in Disease Management

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

 Disease Management and Nursing

Disease management is a holistic approach towards provision of health care services to an individual or population that has symptoms of certain illnesses. It encompasses the combination and coordination of various systems towards the provision of an all-encompassing approach in terms of delivery of health care services.
The role of RN in disease management cannot be overlooked as they play an important part in the success stories of the program, Disease management involves various aspects such as the economical, clinical and psychosocial aspects deemed necessary in the provision of health care. This approach aims to have a positive effect and result in the adjustment of health-related behavior patterns in patients, health care providers and consumers bringing about the reduction of severe cases or incidences of certain diseases or disorders. Adjustments on any health behavior pattern undergo a verification and support process that seeks continuous progress. This process offers up to the minute feedback and works on the basis of particular health conditions in addition to a string of apt population procedures and outcomes.
Besides working towards attaining a favorable clinical outcome, disease management programs also focus on utilizing the most cost-efficient outcome suitable for a particular group of patients. A disease management program consists of three major components: a) Proper understanding relating to the natural and the estimated financial history as regards medical condition; b) The health care provision system; and c) a continuous progressive process that is able to measure and analyze outcomes. It is important to note that this medical approach makes the most use of the principle of self-care.

Principles of Disease Management

The basic principle of disease management focuses on empowering patients so that they can be able to provide almost 95 percent self care when suffering from chronic illnesses. In this scenario, the patient is tasked with the responsibility of taking care of their health by adopting good eating habits and a healthy lifestyle. Though disease management campaigns for self care, it is well-aware that lack of adequate knowledge and skill set on the part of patients more so when going about health practices and disease prevention may lead to poor quality health care.
The program takes into account three assumptions: a) a knowledgeable patient is better placed to handle their condition as opposed to one who lacks the knowledge; b) The patient is the main beneficiary of the health care provided to them thus they have a right to demand for quality management of their disease; c) patients play a significant role in their final clinical outcome therefore there is need for them to gain knowledge for them to manage their own condition. In this regard, the program utilizes education tools to educate patients with relevant knowledge.
These education tools including treatment guidelines as well as educational resources play a significant role in the overall accomplishment of any program. Additionally, not only do patient education components educate patients on their responsibility but also emphasize on the involvement of other family members in actively participating in the patient’s self care management. Registered nurses bring a lot to the table as they act as disease management supervisors. They work mainly in hospitals, insurance companies, commercial health management corporations, outpatient facilities and doctors’ clinics. In order for one to be a registered nurse, they must complete a nursing program where they learn various aspects such as behavioral modification techniques, disease prevention and health promotion. Armed with a solid educational background, the nurses seamlessly transition into this medical field. The premier responsibility of nurses in relation to disease management is to work as agents of change.
In present times, much focus is placed on the delivery of health care services to individual patients. On the contrary, the focus should change to tackling chronic ailments using a population-based method. The soaring costs of health care can be countered by emphasizing on strict observance of clinical practice regulations, ensuring that the patient population receives the undergoes diagnostic tests in the right time and making sure the patient population takes the prescribed medicine to the letter. Additionally, nurses enlighten both patients and other health workers on gaining knowledge of behavioral adjustment techniques as well as their use. Furthermore, the nurses encourage the patients to get actively involved in providing self care. Also, the nurses act as patient advocates, fighting for their rights as well as reminding patients about their responsibilities.
If you are interested in this field, please review our program in Case Management.

Care Management And Trends of Aging Americans

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Case Management Implications

Our population is “aging.” The baby boomers are retiring and as the years continue, our population of elderly people will be increased. Elder Case management will become of prime importance in our health care system. Many new models of care will be designed to meet the needs of the aging population. This has wide-spread implications for those who are practicing as professional care managers today. This article provides an excellent overview of the 10 core trends occurring now that have profound future implications in health care practice.
From: US News
Access article: click here
Care management will become increasingly important in our health care delivery system. You may learn more about Case management by accessing this link.

Care Management Certification Through Course work

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Care Management Courses

Worried about where your career is going?   Looking for a new field?   Care management might be the healthcare field for you!  Anyone with a solid background in nursing can start today!  
Are you looking for courses for care management Certification, you have to check at a site called American Institute of Health Care Professionals. This career is a great idea for those who want to manage the care of his or her patients. It is a growing field and as the medical profession grows due to the older population of baby boomers continues to rise, there will be need for more qualified professionals to manage the care necessary. You can get your certification in this program at this site online which is a benefit to those who have busy home and work schedules. You also can get your recertification on this site as well. If you want to talk to one of their experienced staff about the courses they have to offer and the fees, you only have to contact them at either the site or their available phone number. They will take the time to discuss with you your options.  If your interested please review the Case Management Courses.

Care Managers Can Help Families Recover

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

How Care Managers Can Help

When a person is sick, he or she is often unable to process complicated health information as well as the emotional impact of a diagnosis. There are multiple doctors, specialists, test results, medications, questions, and answers. It’s a lot to manage, and in this climate mistakes are easy to make when the person managing his or her own care is distracted by worry. If doctor A is not aware that doctor B has prescribed a particular medication, that medication can either be  

prescribed again or a different medication that may interact with others in a negative way can be prescribed. Patients can actually be harmed or even die from drug interactions. Care management can put an end to all of that, and prevent needless suffering from happening to patients as well as families. Nobody, not doctors, nurses, families, or patients want tragedies to happen to anyone. Luckily, there is a solution for these problems.  Care Managers are very helpful in solving problems in the healthcare field.

If you are interested in the Case Management Program, please review it.

Case Manager Tips.

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Starting Care Management

For those wanting to get into the health field for a job, you’re going to find that there are going to be many positions available such as a case manager, care management professional as well as others. If you want to get into something like this, there are a few things to note before signing up with a program.  First off, you’re going to want to make sure that you know what kind of 

exams and tests you’re going to be taken. You’re not going to want to take the wrong tests for your field because you may find down the line that you didn’t need it in the first place. On top of that, also make sure that your school is going to be accredited. If it isn’t, you’ll find that many hospitals and medical centers won’t hire you because you don’t hold the appropriate paperwork. As long as you ask these questions, you’ll find that most of the time you can find the right program to start your career.

The Role Of the Social Worker Case Manager In Health Care Settings

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Case Management

The role of the social worker case manager in health care settings is basically to assist individuals and families in obtaining the required resources and navigating different systems of social service. Case management or care coordination is not the responsibility of the social

workers alone, but it is a key aspect in the practice of social work. According to the National Association of Social Workers, social worker case managers are specially trained people who coordinate care.

Case Management Role

A social worker case manager handles many functions. Some of the key functions that they handle are the following: Collaborating with patients, their families and doctors and coordinating a care plan. Providing information as regards treatment plans. Arranging for home health services, transportation, etc., after discharge. Helping patients cope with acute, chronic or terminal illnesses such as AIDS, cancer, Alzheimer’s, etc. Setting up conferences between patients, families and doctors. Providing information about spiritual services. If such services are requested by patients, the social worker case manager has to make arrangements for obtaining the same. Collecting and providing information as regards financial assistance as well as community programs which may be of great help to patients once they are discharged. Prioritizing cases assigned to them. Reaching out and assessing the urgent needs of patients. Keeping thorough records for each and every case, including details of every call, visits to the patient’s home and referrals. Maintaining the confidentiality of the patients. Analyzing the mental and physical health of the patients. Counseling patient’s individually and also in group settings. Networking with various external agencies to organize support services according to the needs of the patients. Assisting with paperwork involved in Medicare, insurance and Medicaid.
A social worker case manger must have sufficient knowledge and expertise to work with patients form varied ethnic, economic and cultural backgrounds. They must also develop their skills to handle multidimensional symptom management, bereavement, etc. Their job responsibilities also include enhancement of quality of life and promotion of well-being of patients, caregivers and families.
In general, the practice is to assign one social worker to one patient in order to ensure care continuity. The social worker care manager must strive to build a relationship with the patient and his/her support system and assist in the identified areas of need. Typically, most health care settings keep a social worker on-call to meet the urgent requirements of patients and families.
In order to work as a social worker case manager, it is important that an individual possess a bachelor’s or graduate degree in social work. A bachelor’s degree in psychology or sociology is also accepted by some employers as it will ensure that he/she has acquired the knowledge, skill and experience to function as a social worker case manger. Some hospitals may require the prospective candidates for the position of social worker case manger to have a master’s degree in social work. This is because the master’s degree prepares students to perform clinical assessments. Certificates obtained after successfully completing the programs offered by the American Academy of Case Management show potential employers that the holder of the certificate has the knowledge and skill to do the job well. All states require those working as case mangers to hold a relevant certification or license. In most states, it is essential for candidates to have a minimum of 3,000 hours of supervised experience in order to obtain the license.

Core Functions

The National Association of Social Workers defines the core functions of the social worker case manger as follows: Engagement,Assessment,Planning,Coordination,Advocacy,Evaluation, and Disengagement.
For instance, a social worker case manager working in a hospital with an elderly patient may meet the patient and assess the need for providing meals-on-wheels to him/her. The case manger will then make the required phone calls to organize the service for the patient, advocate for restrictions on diet and then follow up to ensure that the service is provided to the patient.
Summarizing, the services of social worker case managers are essential in a number of health care facilities that include clinics, retirement homes, hospitals and rehabilitation centers. In fact, the role of the social worker case manager is crucial for the smooth operation of many health care facilities. Professional organizations like the National Association of Social Workers provide ample opportunities through networking efforts.

Case Management and Helping Families

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

I have pretty much always known what I wanted to do with my life and I never. At first I wanted to get into social services and help get children out of abusive homes and bad situations and the like. Then I realized I had need to get more personal with these people. To really affect and have a positive impact on their every day lives after incidents like these occurred. That is  

when I started studying to become a case worker. Getting your case manager certification is not an easy task, but with a little research and some good old fashioned studying, you won’t have a problem. Some psychological classes are involved but they were not really anything I have not been through before. All in all, getting my certification was a fulfilling experience that I will never regret, and now, because of it, I have the job of my dreams! I am one of few people who would not turn back time if given the chance.

Being a Case Manager

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

  A case manager is the person that handles the business portion of healthcare for a patient. This person is a trained professional that oversees the care on every level, for a patient. They coordinate the care provided by many different 

professionals to be sure the plan is safe and effective for the patient. They also communicate with insurance companies or employers to make sure the care that is provided is cover and for how long. In general, they balance patient advocacy with cost containment. Case manager certification processes can differ depending on the school they attend. Most certification programs require certification as a registered nurse, practical nurse, social worker or physical therapist. Case manager certification also requires training in developing and maintaining relationships. They need to be able to coordinate between the client, medical professionals and payees. They also need knowledge in disease management, health care management, psychological and developmental treatment. Most states require certification that can be obtained in as little as six weeks. Case manager certification requires a written exam and internship, as well as continued education to be certain they are up to date on changing regulations.

What a Good Nurse Case Manager Does.

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Good health care can be a very important thing to have. One of the best ways to make money is to get a job in the health care field. Due to the nature of the work it can be very hard to find a job in the health care field. If you want to be a doctor or nurse then you are going to have to undergo the proper schooling. One great way to obtain your nurses license is to attend an online course. Many doctors have to take a pledge stating that they will act ethically in all situations. In the future the demand for nurses is going to be very great. Many elderly people need assistance with their day to day living. One good way to make money is to become a nurse case manager. A case manager can help assemble all the important details about your health problem. A nurse also knows how to administer emergency help to patients who are in need. It can take one or two years to train a good nurse.

nurse case manager
A nurse case manager is an asset to the healthcare field.

Becoming a Nurse Case Manager and the Need for Training

Posted on by Dominick Flarey

Becoming a nurse case manager can be an exciting role to take in the health care field, giving you a strong role within the organizations that you take employment with. These positions can

involve a great range of functions and various responsibilities, from coordinating patient files and cases, while managing the process of care and the actions that are taken within each case. Altogether there is a great deal to take on in the field, but it is all a very rewarding combination of a role, compensation, and personal benefits. Nursing case management has to start with the right training structure that will ensure you really grasp the important concepts of the career and are able to remain proficient within the field. This training should take place in the atmosphere that is going to best perform for you, providing you with a stable education base for starting a very pleasing career.