I can’t believe 2021 is over. Where did the time go? In my last post of the year, I want to share my accomplishments for 2021. It was a busy and productive year. I hope you will check out the resources I developed, produced, and contributed to in 2021. Here you go!

1. I have had 8 patients this year that I worked with to help coordinate care and assist them in ensuring their plan of care was what they wanted. It was not easy and with each, I was starkly reminded how complex, fragmented and challenging the system is. In 2022, I will continue to work with people; to advocate for them to make sure they have a voice as they travel on their healthcare journey.
2. I was honored to be on the Editorial Board for the Case Management Society of America. In 2021, we produced 12 issues of CMSA Today. Here is a link to read each one. Each issue has essential information to help you be the best you can be as a case/care manager. Click here is access each issue of 2021. In addition, the publication was a winner of the 2021 Gold Marcom Award. It was a tribute to be recognized for our work by an International organization that honors excellence in marketing and communication while recognizing the creativity, hard work, and generosity of industry professionals.
3. I had a great time working with the team at Athena Forum in 2021 as Director of Client Services. Athena Forum is a national online CE platform that has programs for professionals involved in case/care management. One of the new offerings I started in 2021 was Issues & Answers. Issues and Answers is a project to identify issues that impact nurses, social workers, and case managers. Once we identified the issue we would then find an expert in the area. To engage the audience and make the program interactive, we ask those who registered for the program to submit a questions for the speaker. The expert would answer the questions in a webinar each month. The program was very successful and got rave reviews from those who attended. Click here is a link to access all the 2021 discussions.
4. I also wrote a new special report titled: We Are Made of Stories: Stories from a Nurse Advocate. The report is a compilation of past Blog Posts that share insights into the stories on patient engagement, understanding how to utilize health care resources, and other things I learned from my journey as a cancer patient. I use storytelling to teach, empower, and help patients, caregivers, and healthcare team members see how hard it is to be a patient in today’s complex healthcare system. I hope you will take the time to read the report and share it with those you feel would benefit. Click here to download your PDF Copy.
5. In collaboration with the team at My Care Alliance I took a plunge into the world of podcasting. Click here to listen to them and see what you think.
6. In 2021 I wrote 40 posts! Here is a link to read past posts that you might have missed. To help you out, I picked the top five posts based on the reader’s input. As I reviewed each post, I was stuck that kindness was a running theme in many of my posts this year. 2021 was a challenging year for us as we continue to struggle with COVID. If we learned anything from the Pandemic, it is to be kind.

We are not 100 Hell-No-Case Managers.

Golden Rule: Do unto Others as you Would Have Them Do unto You.

In a World Where You Can Be Anything, Be Kind

What is Success?

I Can’t Teach Kindness.

In 2022 I hope to dig deeper and share information that will help people, patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to use their voice to improve the healthcare system. I hope to write more in mainstream publications to educate, mentor, and bring to light some of the challenges our country faces and some tips readers can use to address those challenges when they are thrust into the complex healthcare system.

Thank you for reading Nurse Advocate this year. I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year. On January 3, 2022, I will be back to kick off the new year.