Step into the spotlight: Former Commission chair will forge relationships and promote the value of case management

Professional case management is not flashy. And generally, that’s a good thing. The individual case manager builds and strengthens relationships--with clients and families, with the clinical team, with fellow CCMs and with many others. It’s a “we” profession, not a “me” profession, after all.

Sometimes, though, I think CCMs become so much a part of the “we” they fail to attract the attention they deserve. Professional case managers--and CCMs in particular-- deserve recognition for the value they bring to patients, to health care organizations and to society at large. There’s a time to step into the spotlight. That time is now.

At the Commission, we put the spotlight on the role of the professional case manager and on the individual CCM. We strive to ensure that both the case manager and the role are acknowledged for the part they play in delivery of quality, cost-effective and efficient care.

For years, we’ve done this behind the scenes, working with case managers, employers, professional organizations and others. Our Board of Commissioners has recognized the need for more collaboration and less competition with like-minded groups. In recent years, we have been warmly received by several organizations. Perhaps most notable is our partnership with the National Association of Social Workers and its endorsement of the CCM certification for social work case managers in medical settings.

The Commission has grown--and grown stronger. But our successful work with NASW made didn’t come overnight. Cultivating relationships takes time, energy and a focused effort.

That’s why our board made an important move to continue our trajectory in January, when it brought former Commission Chair Vivian Campagna, MSN, RN-BC, CCM, on staff as our first chief industry relations officer (CIRO). She’s spent the last 25 years in case management leadership roles. In fact, she was in the first class of case managers to take the CCM exam in 1993.

As CIRO, Vivian will work with individuals and organizations interested in our certification programs, products and services. She will provide insight and guidance to the Commission on industry trends and developments, especially as they relate to our growth. And across all these tasks, she will continue to advocate for CCMs, promote the value of certification and advance the profession.

The new role paves the way for the Commission to work alongside even more organizations--and together, to advocate and advance case manager excellence.

In health care today, we hear a lot about care coordination, transitions and patient engagement. We believe case managers--and board-certified case managers in particular--are essential to this work.

Vivian’s new role highlights our commitment to promote, advance and advocate for that workforce. No, it’s still not flashy. And yes, it’s still about building relationships and working as part of a “we.” But it’s also about moving CCMs from the ranks of the unheralded to deserved recognition. It’s time that we, as CCMs and as a Commission, move into the spotlight.