Case Management

Q: What should my staff focus on when conducting case management patient assessments?

CMS announced partial settlement agreements and instructions for Medicare Administrative Contractors in relation to several 2-midnight rule cases.

Sometimes it’s the condition of the caregiver, not the patient, that prompts a visit to the emergency department (ED). According to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, this problem is not only resulting in unnecessary ED visits, but in higher costs.

Q: How do I identify patients with health literacy problems, and what can I do to best assist them?

The American Case Management Association announced November 6 that it has established the Association of Physician Leadership in Care Management to help reach physician leaders who are in roles that support case management.

A new effort is underway to allow observation stays to count toward the three-day stay required by CMS to qualify for reimbursement for a postacute skilled nursing facility stay.

Q: What's the distinction between the case manager and non-lincensed case manager extender?

CMS released a proposed rule October 27 that could add flexibility for states with regard to provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Q: What are the core competencies of a case manager?

Case managers are thought of as effective communicators, often serving as the liaison between patients, families, payers, and hospital staff. But as case management departments rely more heavily on virtual tools in the workplace, case managers’ relational skills are compromised, according to CMSA Today.