By Dr. Colleen Morley, DNP, RN, CCM, CMAC, CMCN, ACM-RN, FCM

October brings one of my favorite holidays…not Halloween (although it is top 5 for me).

CASE MANAGEMENT WEEK!

(Which should be Case Management Month, IMO)

This year’s theme: Setting the Standard for Patient-Centered Care

The IOM (Institute of Medicine) defines patient-centered care as: “Providing care that is respectful of, and responsive to, individual patient preferences, needs and values, and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions” (Institute of Medicine, 2001).

Reflect on how Case Management addresses each of the eight principles of Patient-Centered Care:

  • Respect for patients’ preferences
  • Coordination and integration of care
  • Information and education
  • Physical comfort
  • Emotional comfort
  • Involvement of family and friends
  • Continuity and transition
  • Access to care

Wow!  Sounds like our consumer definition of Case Management and our Standards of Practice. As I often say, Case managers are the masters of patient-centered care!

CELEBRATING CASE MANAGEMENT AND CASE MANAGERS

CMSA National has a full week’s worth of events happening (including a virtual cocktail hour!) in addition to local chapter and workplace celebrations.  Use the COMMENTS below to tell us how you’re celebrating.

HISTORY OF NATIONAL CASE MANAGEMENT WEEK

Would it surprise anyone that this professional organization for case managers was the first to establish National Case Management Week?

According to the CMSA website and other sources,

“Plans for National Case Management Week first began in 1998 as an effort to help move the Case Management industry forward. This was the first major initiative of the association since its merger with ICMA in 1995. The CMSA Board of Directors agreed to a Case Management Week celebration during the week of October 10, 1999, a date chosen in honor of the Association’s establishment on October 10, 1990.  Later, it was decided to mark the second full week in October each year as National Case Management Week. As the idea quickly spread, other organizations also began to establish their own Case Management Week celebrations. To strengthen the movement, collaborate with other organizations, and avoid confusion about the celebration, CMSA approached those organizations about unifying the annual event and celebrating it during the same week” (https://cmsapmg.wpenginepowered.com/chapters/cm-week/). Always about the collaboration and coordination.

CELEBRATION CHALLENGE

This is the absolute perfect time to highlight the awesomeness that is the profession/specialty of professional case management!  As you know, I am all about letting the world know about how case management leads to better outcomes, and Case Management Week gives us the stage to amp up our message. Let’s use this time to put a spotlight on case management and get the word out!

  • Submit a presentation proposal for the CMSA National Conference.
  • Submit a story for CMSA Today.
  • Submit a story to CMSA Chicago for their annual book of Tales From the Front.
  • Tell your story of what you do as a case manager and why case management is important on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, etc.
  • Include #CMWEEK2022 with all photos, videos and posts pertaining to Case Management Week.

Congratulations on the fantastic work you do every day and your dedication to care coordination and promotion of optimal outcomes for our patients/families.  Tell the world what we do, how we do it and why we do it.  We are the masters of patient-centered care! And you are appreciated!

References:
Case Management Society of America (2022). Case Management Week. www.cmsa.org/case_management_week
Institute of Medicine Committee on Quality of Health Care in America (2001). Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2001. PMID: 25057539.

Bio: Dr. Colleen Morley, DNP, RN, CCM, CMAC, CMCN, ACM-RN, FCM, is the Associate Chief Clinical Operations Officer, Care Continuum for University of Illinois Health System and the current President of the Case Management Society of America National Board of Directors.  She has held positions in acute care as Director of Case Management at several acute care facilities and managed care entities in Illinois, overseeing Utilization Review, Case Management and Social Services for over 14 years; piloting quality improvement initiatives focused on readmission reduction, care coordination through better communication and population health management.

Her current passion is in the area of improving health literacy. She is the recipient of the CMSA Foundation Practice Improvement Award (2020) and ANA Illinois Practice Improvement Award (2020) for her work in this area. Dr. Morley also received the AAMCN Managed Care Nurse Leader of the Year in 2010 and the CMSA Fellow of Case Management designation in 2022. Her 1st book, “A Practical Guide to Acute Care Case Management”, published by Blue Bayou Press was released in February 2022.

Dr. Morley has over 20 years of nursing experience. Her clinical specialties include Med/Surg, Oncology and Pediatric Nursing.  She received her ADN at South Suburban College in South Holland, IL; BSN at Jacksonville University in Jacksonville, FL, MSN from Norwich University in Northfield, VT and her DNP at Chamberlain College of Nursing.

Be sure to go to https://cmsapmg.wpenginepowered.com/chapters/cm-week/ to get signed up and get ready to celebrate every day next week!