ED overcrowding is a problem almost every hospital faces. Many patients inappropriately come to the ED for nonurgent issues, but, by law, the ED is required to treat everyone. This puts hospitals in the difficult situation of having to care for all patients safely and efficiently.   Read More »

Despite the effect the economic downturn is having on the national job market, hospitals still face a daunting challenge in retaining quality case managers. Some of the reasons for case manager turnover are the high stress of the profession, long hours, and the difficulty of transitioning from nursing or social work into case management.   Read More »

You know the drill: rally for improved documentation practices at your facility, train everyone on proper documentation procedures, and become foiled by inexplicably incomplete records, illegible handwriting, and records that are lost in transition. But you’re not alone. This is exactly what case managers at Cleveland Clinic dealt with.     Read More »

This week’s tip, an “Ask the Expert,” is provided by Karen Zander, RN, MS, CMAC, FAAN. Q: How can we change the culture to make case management easier to do day after day? A: Culture is actually the sum total “collection” of the behaviors that have been rewarded and otherwise tolerated. Behaviors stem from many sources, including knowledge (one would hope!), beliefs, past experiences, and incentives. Culture...  Read More »

Hawaii Medical Center, LLC (HMC) had been working hard to increase its number of patients and to decrease the length of stay at its two facilities, but that wasn’t enough to satisfy its creditor, Siemens Finance. Siemens refused to extend an existing loan agreement for HMC, forcing it to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week. HMC says seeking bankruptcy protection was necessary in order to continue providing uninterrupted care to...  Read More »

This week’s tip comes from Sandra Ibach, RN, MS, CCM, a community-based case manager at Methodist Health Systems in Dallas. When I answer a call on my desk phone from a physician, a patient, or whomever, I give my usual name and title and then say, "How may I help you?" This sets the scene with a positive tone, and I find the mood of the call remains one where joint problem solving is nurtured—even if the solution...  Read More »

Victims affected by Hurricane Gustav will turn to case managers to help them recover from the storm. Case managers will aid victims in obtaining health services, emergency food and shelter, mental healthcare and counseling, transportation, financial assistance, and even employment. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt announced the implementation of the Disaster Case Management demonstration program...  Read More »

Each year, 90,000 patients die from infections they acquire in hospitals, according to The Wall Street Journal. This statistic, along with the fact that Medicare will stop reimbursing for certain hospital-acquired infections on October 1, gives many facilities the motivation to seriously monitor the use and effectiveness of antibiotics. Some hospitals, such as the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison, have created antimicrobial...  Read More »

Last week’s tip brought in some extra feedback from our readers who wanted to share ways they make the work day a little better for their colleagues and themselves … Debby Downs, LVN, a nurse case manager at Longview (TX) Regional Medical Center, said, “When I pick up the phone I always try to have a smile on my face. The person on the other end will notice.” Sheryl O’Neal, the marketing director for Care...  Read More »

When a hospital’s emergency department is overflowing and ambulances just keep coming, it has become a common practice to divert some of those ambulances to other area hospitals. However, turning ambulances away is no longer an option for facilities in Massachusetts. The state government has ordered a halt to the practice by January 1. State officials say that while diverting may help some hospitals with overcrowding, the costs usually...  Read More »