Good Training Needed for Case Managers
People with complex medical needs face myriad challenges when it comes to following the “do’s and don’ts” designed to help manage their chronic conditions and avoid painful exacerbations and costly hospitalizations. A growing body of evidence suggests there may be a better way.
Multiple studies show motivational interviewing (MI) is an effective tool for eliciting behavioral change across a wide spectrum of healthcare challenges—and that good training is needed to equip care managers and other professionals with the MI skills that can help patients resolve ambivalence and achieve their goals.
Empathy and compassion are cornerstones of MI, which utilizes a series of steps to guide patients through stages of readiness. In MI, patients do most of the talking, while providers engage in reflective listening and other techniques that helps patients identify what behaviors they want to change, and how they want to do it.