BY SUSANE HAO, RN, MSN, CLCP, AND THERESA HERNANDEZ, CCM
Healthcare providers and case managers encounter patients who experience a combination of barriers related to social determinants of health (SDoH) that make it difficult for patients to manage their chronic medical conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF), diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and depression.
BY BETSY STOVSKY, RN, MSN, AND MARY McLAUGHLIN DAVIS, DNP, NEA-BC, ACNS-BC, CCM
Patients with infective endocarditis (IE) due to opioid substance use disorder (SUD) and injection drug use (IDU) present to the acute care setting with a myriad of surgical, medical, psychiatric and social problems. The complexity of this patient population requires an experienced team of healthcare professionals to provide the care they need from admission to discharge. Case managers, as leaders in population health, patient advocacy and continuity of care, are important members of the multidisciplinary team to care for this patient population.
BY SANDRA ZAWALSKI, MSN Ed, RN, CRRN, CCM, ABDA, MSCC
A new level of care has emerged in the healthcare world called Hospital at Home, despite this level being used for several years. Hospital at Home (HaH), is a healthcare model designed to provide acute-level services in a home environment that clients would normally receive in a hospital setting.
BY JENNY QUIGLEY-STICKNEY, RN, MSN, MHA, MA, CCM, ACM-RN, CPHM, CMAC
CMS 1135 pandemic waivers give healthcare providers throughout the COVID pandemic the ability to relax legal standards for Conditions of Participation and transitions of care. Allowing the healthcare industry flexibility with current CMS Conditions of Participation rules for managing transitions of care has increased fluidity and speed of transition for patient care.
BY BARBARA ROBBINS, RN, BSN, MB
The COVID-19 pandemic led to great growth in virtual collaborative care teams with telehealth tools. In one study, the use of telehealth tools in February 2021 was found to be 38 times higher than pre-pandemic levels and a catalyst to home care.
BY CHERI LATTIMER, RN, BSN
The issues today surrounding changing healthcare models, diversity, equity and inclusion, technology advancement, policy directives, performance measures and interprofessional teamwork demand that we collaborate through various venues whether they are collaboratives, coalitions, care teams, partnerships, alliances or joint efforts
BY KATHLEEN (KATHY) PARRY, BSN, RN, CCM
The past 2 years have turned the healthcare industry upside down. The COVID-19 epidemic has impacted the industry in ways no one could have imagined. Rapid change in the healthcare environment meant switching from in-person work to remote work where case managers led the way by engaging patients as they transitioned through the delivery system from inpatient through the next level of care.