Case Management Advisor – April 1, 2007
April 1, 2007
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Advocate for cancer patients to help them meet the treatment challenges
When Nancy Skinner, RN, CCM, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2004, she asked her health plan for a case manager to help her navigate through the health care system during treatment. -
Program helps cancer patients through system
An oncology program, launched in January by Cigna HealthCare, provides members with cancer support through diagnosis, treatment, and survival. -
Educating minorities about cardiac disease
More than 800 people have been screened and more than 100 are being treated for previously undiagnosed hypertension thanks to a program sponsored by CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield conducted in barber shops and beauty salons in Baltimore's African-American community. -
Communication key to improved documentation
Case management involvement in the documentation enhancement process can be limited to monitoring specific DRGs and collaborating closely with coding specialists to an environment where the case management department has staff whose entire focus is on documentation enhancement, asserts Lorraine Larrance, BSN, MHSA, CPHQ, CCM, manager with Pershing Yoakley & Associates, a Charlotte, NC, health care consulting firm. -
A few words may affect case mix, reimbursement
When it comes to coding, a rose by any other name may mean that your hospital isn't getting the reimbursement it deserves. -
It takes all CM functions to provide necessary care
Many top hospital decision makers still fail to recognize that case management is a core function of patient care, not an optional service that needs to prove return on investment, says Karen Zander, RN, MS, CMAC, FAAN, principal and co-owner of the Center for Case Management in South Natick, MA.