Case Management Advisor articles from February 2003

Case Management Advisor archives from February 2003

What's in the future? More opportunities, fewer case managers: CMSA issues its `top 10' list of case management trends.
February 1, 2003... There's an increased demand for the services of case managers but, at the same time, a shortage of nurses, who typically move into the case management role. These are among the trends identified by the board of directors of the Case...

Health plan launches stress management service: program takes a proactive approach.(Blue Shield of California)
February 1, 2003... When members call the Blue Shield of California Lifepath Advisers[sm] line, they can get answers to health and wellness questions from a registered nurse, speak to a mental health counselor, or consult with a specialist on everything from...

Service addresses a wide range of member concerns: counselors provide assessment, plan of care.
February 1, 2003... No matter which Lifepath Advisers[sm] service Blue Shield of California members choose, they get a comprehensive assessment and a plan of care to help them deal with their problems. "We designed the program as an integrative service that...

Providing `personal touch' increases satisfaction: plan's CMs provide outreach in a variety of ways.
February 1, 2003... The personal touch pays off for a health plan, Terri Cox Glassen, RN, MN, asserts. As assistant vice president for consumer satisfaction at CIGNA HealthCare, Cox Glassen is in a position to know. CIGNA HealthCare, with headquarters in...

Listen to members through satisfaction surveys: plan makes changes to better serve its customers.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Member satisfaction surveys give health plans a chance to hear the voice of the customer, says Terri Cox Glassen, RN, MN, assistant vice president of consumer satisfaction for CIGNA HealthCare with headquarters in Bloomfield, CT. The...

Pink-ribbon campaign helps remind members.(health screening of CIGNA HealthCare)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... During October 2002, case managers from CIGNA HealthCare made hundreds of calls to female members reminding them to get a mammogram and educating them about breast cancer risks. As a result of these and other efforts, CIGNA has one of the...

Plan monitors meds to identify treatment gaps: data go hand-in-hand with disease management.
February 1, 2003... Pharmacy data are an integral part of case management of chronically ill patients covered under Horizon/Mercy, with headquarters in Trenton, NJ. The case managers monitor pharmacy data to find out if members have been prescribed the proper...

Program provides support to publicly insured with CHF: target: reduced hospitalization, better quality of life.(congestive heart failure)
February 1, 2003... In just six months of operation, the congestive heart failure disease management program at Horizon/Mercy has resulted in few hospital admissions for some patients. "People who used to be in the hospital every other week have had longer...

Variations in treatment cause waste, inefficiency: plan takes twofold approach to consistency in care.
February 1, 2003... Everyone knows that inconsistencies in health care can adversely affect patient outcomes, waste time and resources, and ultimately cost the consumer, the provider, and the health plan money. The staff at Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield in...

Data help physicians track patients, compliance: provide ideas for better patient care.
February 1, 2003... To get, on their own, the information that Pittsburgh-based Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield's SMART Registry provides them, physicians would have to conduct extensive and time-consuming chart reviews. The reports provided by the...

Integrated DM program supports recommendations.(disease management)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield combined its previously disjointed disease management programs into an integrated condition management program that focuses on reducing the variations in effective care for five common conditions. The health...

Case managers advocate rather than spy: know when to remove yourself from sensitive cases.
February 1, 2003... Some insurance companies often use surveillance techniques in an attempt to discover fraud in workers' compensation and disability cases. When cameras are brought in, case managers should step out in order to avoid ethical dilemmas. But clearly...

CE questions.
February 1, 2003... 5. Which of the following was not identified as a trend in case management by the board of directors of the Case Management Society of America? A. Growing need for more case managers B. Increased use of clinical pathways C....

CCMC seeks new commissioners. (Reports From the Field[TM]).(Commission on Case Manager Certification)
February 1, 2003... The Commission on Case Manager Certification (CCMC) in Rolling Meadows, IL, is opening nominations to fill four commission seats. Commission candidates are self-nominated. The deadline for submitting nominations is March 15. The primary...

Hostility to managed care declining, poll says. (Reports From the Field[TM]).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... While Americans still are unhappy on the whole with managed care, hostility and criticism have declined from their peak in 2000, a new poll by Harris Interactive has found. The percentage of those polled who believe the trend toward managed...

URAC handbook explains HIPAA security rules. (Reports From the Field[TM]).(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The lack of a final HIPAA security regulation means that your organization doesn't have to provide security for your patient data, right? Wrong, according to a new handbook published by URAC. Your organization already has to protect patient...

Dietary counseling advised for at-risk adults. (Reports From the Field[TM]).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Dietary counseling can be beneficial for adults with high cholesterol and other risk factors for diet-related chronic disease such as high blood pressure and obesity, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended. The Task Force...

Americans wary of technology's impact on health care. (Reports From the Field[TM]).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Despite embracing technology in many aspects of their everyday lives, people are conflicted about the impact of information technology on their health care, according to a new survey. While 59% of those surveyed agreed that information...

Send resource bank items.
February 1, 2003... If you have a new resource, conference, or seminar that can help other case managers do their jobs better or more efficiently, Case Management Advisor wants to hear from you. Send items for publication to Mary Booth Thomas, Editor, Case...