Archives for December 2018

Case Management Strategies for Assessing, Engaging Patients

It’s no secret that many patients with chronic illness struggle to adhere to medical recommendations and treatment plans; the World Health Organization (WHO) has determined adherence to long-term therapy for chronic illnesses in developed countries is a meager 50 percent—and even lower in developing countries. What’s more, the WHO found, the impact of poor compliance is growing worldwide.

Poor compliance can lead to disease complications, avoidable exacerbations and frequent hospital admissions for patients, as well as increasing costs for health systems and the community. As families try to balance work and the responsibilities of being a caregiver, businesses lose highly productive and knowledgeable employees and patients face continued pain and suffering.

As a case manager, you play a central role in helping your patients or clients achieve better compliance and adherence to their care plans, which can lead to improved health, reduced hospitalizations, and stronger health systems.

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Managing Care From a Whole-Person Perspective

In order to reduce hospital admissions and readmissions, it’s important to address a client as a whole person and not a collection of chronic conditions. When multiple factors are a part of assessment and care planning, services go beyond just treating a patient’s symptoms or underlying illness.

An integrated whole-person approach recognizes many moving parts in a client’s life are fundamental to closing the gap between sickness and health. An evidence-based report in the U.K. commissioned by the King’s Fund and Nuffield Trust found “integration without care coordination cannot lead to integrated care.” In other words, effective care management is achieved only by taking into account the holistic needs of the client.

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The Link Between Collaborative Problem Solving and Care Planning

Working in a healthcare means you face complex challenges; chief among them is supporting a patient population suffering an increasing rate of chronic health conditions. With growing financial and regulatory constraints and rapidly evolving medical technology, healthcare organizations and providers are struggling to engage patients and find ways to address social determinants of health like poverty, food insecurity, and housing.

Today more than ever, case management and care coordination strives to incorporate medical treatment and interventions, social support, and an individual’s self-identified goals in a comprehensive care plan. Engaging in collaborative strategies between clients and the healthcare system improves healthcare planning, and ultimately outcomes. As healthcare shifts toward strategies focusing on needs and outcomes of specific populations, it is important to identify interventions most effectively yielding the best results.

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