D3 (8427) | Nursing homework help
Case management has evolved significantly over the past few decades. Initially, it was primarily focused on identifying patients who were at risk for high levels of health care utilization and working to reduce these costs through better coordination and communication between providers. Nowadays, case managers take a more holistic approach; they work to improve patient outcomes by assessing the needs of each individual, creating an effective plan of care that maximizes resources while minimizing cost and duplication of services, coordinating care across a variety of settings (e.g., home care, hospitalizations, outpatient visits), advocating for patients’ rights and interests when needed, providing education regarding disease prevention/management topics such as nutrition or medications, monitoring quality indicators to ensure that patient safety is maintained at all times, etc. In my place of employment specifically (a long-term acute care hospital), case managers serve as liaisons between the facility and other healthcare settings in order to facilitate smooth transitions for patients from one setting to another. They also provide assistance with insurance authorization processes and complex discharge planning activities.