Case Management Monthly

Earlier last decade, when patients came into the ED at Christiana Care Health System in Newark, DE, they were difficult to track. In 2004, Christiana served about 90,000 patients per year. It was a busy place. Patients were bustled from their rooms to testing locations and back again.

Most case managers have had a spat with a physician at one time or another.

Maybe a physician discharged a patient who may not have been clinically ready for discharge, or perhaps a physician disagreed with a case manager about the proper level of care for a particular patient.

It's January. Time to ring in the new year and make some resolutions for 2012.Case managers have a busy year ahead. They'll be dealing with everything from their typical day-to-day business to regulatory changes that could have a broader impact on their jobs.

Check out this form that helps with a care coordination assessment. It is provided by Karen Zander, UMass Memorial Medical Center.

After reading this article, you will be able to:

• Recognize the special needs of seniors when it comes to ED services
• Identify the potential benefits of establishing a senior-only emergency center

After reading this article, you will be able to:

• Recognize how transition management failures can lead to readmissions
• Explain strategies to prevent transition-related readmissions

After reading this article, you will be able to:

• Learn how one facility designed its patient transfer processes
• Recognize how your facility could benefit from centralizing its patient transfer processes

Case managers are busy people. And in an era of budget cuts, they may find themselves strapped for time and resources. Due to these circumstances, some case managers might find themselves looking for methods to better manage their workload, including finding ways to focus their time on the neediest patients.