Seminars shed light on children's special needs
April 1, 1998 3 minutes read
Seminars shed light on children's special needs
Hospital sponsors free education sessions
To help case managers understand the special needs of pediatric patients, Scottish Rite Children's Medical Center in Atlanta has developed educational presentations on children's health topics. The programs are offered free to case managers and third-party payers. Case managers can earn continuing education units by attending the programs. (For tips on producing similar programs at your facility, see box at right.)
"Because of changes in the health care industry, we're dealing with case managers more frequently. They need information about the special needs of children in order to make knowledgeable decisions," says Susan Post, RN, BSC, allied health coordinator.
Getting 100 case managers to listen
This month, 100 case managers are expected at a daylong program showcasing the wide spectrum of services offered by Scottish Rite. The sessions will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. in 40-minute increments. Scottish Rite will provide breakfast and lunch.
Topics include the latest drug interventions for treatment of spasticity; pediatric hematology and specialized lab services for children; how speech pathology services for children differ from adult speech pathology treatment; pediatric plastic surgery and laser surgery; asthma management programs; and prosthetics and orthotics for children and adolescents.
The programs emphasize the difference between services for children and those for adults. "Children are unique in their needs. Receiving treatment or lab services in an adult setting may be an emotionally traumatic experience for the pediatric patient," Post says.
For instance, in the segment on hematology and lab services, the speakers emphasize that the Scottish Rite lab is geared toward children, featuring an aquarium and wallpaper with an underwater theme.
Representatives from the hospital's speech pathology department discuss the special needs of children and make available Scottish Rite's list of resources for school-age and indigent children. The hospital is planning four programs for case managers this year, an increase from two in 1997.
"Not only will the case managers learn about our services, but they will increase their own knowledge about pediatric specialties and the uniqueness of pediatric care compared to adult care," Post says.
The department also sponsors a variety of programs each year for physicians, nurses, therapists, and radiology technicians. For instance, the department brought in an outside specialist who lectured to 40 physical therapists about how to treat upper-extremity problems.
The hospital charges a fee for classes for clinicians. Programs for payers are free.
"We do anticipate attracting more patient referrals from our seminars because it only helps increase our exposure. But our main incentive is to make sure the pediatric population is getting the best care. The only way you can do this is to make case managers aware of your services. If they don't know about you, they won't utilize your services," Post says.
Help the decision makers
In the past year, Scottish Rite has hosted two rehab-oriented seminars for case managers:
1. "Wheelchairs on the Go" included presentations from wheelchair vendors who specialize in pediatric chairs and talks by the hospital's orthotic and prosthetic experts. "A lot of case managers don't know where to go for wheel-chairs or for prosthetics geared for children," Post says.
2. "Prosthetics and Orthotics in Children and Adolescents" gave case managers information about Scottish Rite's multidisciplinary team approach for evaluating and fitting prosthetic and orthotic devices.
"It enables them to make appropriate decisions when authorizing prosthetics and orthotics. They understand the role of the prosthetic and orthotic professional and realize the significance of having children treated by clinicians who specialize in this area," Post says.
[For more information on developing seminars for case managers at your facility, contact Susan Post at (404) 250-2585.]
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