Case Management Week is your time to shine
Make plans now for October festivities
Case managers are beginning to get the recognition they deserve and National Case Management Week— Oct. 12-18 — is the time to celebrate all the contributions that case managers bring to the healthcare arena.
"The week is a time to recognize all the nurses, social workers, and other healthcare professionals who work in the practice of case management, care management, or care coordination and the value they bring to the clinical team and to patients and family members," says Cheri Lattimer, RN, BSN, executive director of the Case Management Society of America (CMSA).
Widespread recognition of case management was highlighted with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and other legislation that promotes care coordination as an important part in improving the delivery of healthcare, Lattimer adds.
"The significant value that case managers bring to the healthcare system is being recognized. Case Management Week is a time for bringing attention to the contributions and commitments that case managers make," she says.
The U.S. Congress passed a proclamation declaring Oct. 12-18, 2014, National Case Management Week and honoring all healthcare professionals in the practice of case management, Lattimer says. "This is the first time that we have gotten recognition at the federal level, although many chapters have gotten recognition on the state and local level," she says.
"Case Management Week was begun to educate payers, providers, lawmakers, and consumers about the important contributions case managers make in the successful delivery of healthcare through our role as patient advocates, our knowledge of resources, and our ability to communicate with the clinical team, patients, and family members as patients transition through the continuum of care," she adds.
Organizations and individual case managers are encouraged to create special activities to recognize case managers during Case Management Week, Lattimer says. This year’s theme is, "Building Steps for a Brighter Future."
The CMSA website contains suggestions for a wide range of activities that include organizing breakfasts or luncheons honoring case managers, publishing profiles of case managers in the company newsletter, submitting guest editorials on the positive impact of case management to newspapers or magazines, creating special displays and posters in the workplace, and hosting community events to educate the public on what case managers do.
"There are a lot of different activities to choose from, but what is important is that case managers are recognized for the service and value they bring to patients and the healthcare system as a whole," Lattimer says. For more information and ideas on celebrating National Case Management Week, visit: http://www.cmsa.org/Individual/Education/NationalCaseManagementWeek/tabid/304/Default.aspx.
