Issue Briefs

    The role of the professional case manager is changing rapidly.  Health reform has called upon the industry to ensure that care delivered is efficient, effective, high quality and low cost.  Never in our history has the role and the function of the professional case manager been more important.  The expectations of today’s case manager are evolving and the experts in policy, research and industry are talking with the Commission about changes affecting case management practice.

    The Commission’s Issue Briefs are offered as part of the CMLearning Network®. Each publication covers topics that are timely and relevant to today’s professional case manager. If you would like a hard copy of an Issue Brief for your staff, or for use at a meeting, we can send you a limited amount at no charge. Simply make your request by filling out the form in the sidebar, and we'll be happy to send them to you.

    The Issue Briefs displayed below are the most recent.

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    Telehealth for at-risk populations: It’s so much more than the technology

    June 2021 —

    No matter how snazzy the interface or how novel the platform, telehealth must always be about the client first with technology coming second. Keeping that top of mind is crucial when thinking about telehealth for vulnerable populations, says Vivian Campagna, DNP, RN-BC, CCM, chief industry relations officer, Commission for Case Manager Certification. Many clients, including older adults, those with low incomes, people with low health or computer literacy and those not proficient in English already struggle with access to care. Telehealth—which we generally think enhances access—in fact creates new hurdles for these clients. This is especially true for those with limited or no internet access and those in crowded living conditions with no privacy. As a result, the move to telehealth during the pandemic both improved and restricted health care access, Campagna explains. 

    Tips, tactics and strategies: How to foolproof your virtual encounters and protect your clients

    May 2021 —

    The pandemic has accelerated health care delivery transformation, and CCMs have adapted. “We’ve become more flexible, adjusting our work processes, patterns and protocols to better meet our clients’ needs,” says Vivian Campagna, MSN, RN-BC, CCM, chief industry relations officer, Commission for Case Manager Certification. It hasn’t always been easy: For instance, for many case managers, the shift to telehealth involved a steep learning curve. “We’re all continuing to learn, especially as we recognize that remote visits will continue long after each of us has been vaccinated.” And there is much to learn.

    Certified Case Managers® and client connections: Virtual care demands real presence

    February 2021 —

    A year into the pandemic and we are still practicing social distancing both in our personal and professional lives. Virtual visits and meetings, once a novelty, are woven into our lives. Don’t expect that to change. “CCMs have done an amazing job coming up to speed quickly and adapting to the needs of their clients,” Michelle Baker, BS, RN, CRRN, CCM, 2020-2021 Chair of the Commission for Case Manager Certification says. “However, we’ve learned that telehealth is no longer a stop-gap measure limited to the pandemic. That’s why we’re working so hard to make sure all our clients have the tools and guidance they need to adapt. Because telehealth is here to stay.”

    A call to action: Case managers can help build healthy, equitable communities

    December 2020 —

    Our nation seems more divided than ever. But in many ways, the fissures we are now seeing have been there all along. But it’s not simply political. The divide is socioeconomic, and much of it comes back to health. Case managers, as an “unanticipated messenger,” can bring an essential voice to conversations related to societal needs. “Case managers likely witness social aspects that impact client care and outcomes. The social workers, nurses and disability management specialists who are board-certified see firsthand how clients are burdened by poor living situations, lack of affordable food and polluted communities,” says MaryBeth Kurland, CAE, CEO, Commission for Case Manager Certification.

    Build Resilience Personally and Professionally: Seven Strategies for Case Managers

    October 2020 —

    It’s not getting any easier. Case managers have been persevering throughout this epidemic, supporting clients, clients’ families and of course, their own friends and families. We’ve discussed the profound impact of COVID-19 before. In this issue brief, educator and resilience expert Chantrise Sims-Holliman, EdD, shares that perspective and provides seven strategies for case managers to build resilience.