If you know a nurse, take a moment during National Nurses Week to call, text, or email them and simply say thank you. Small gestures of appreciation can mean more than you realize. These continue to be stressful times across every area of nursing practice. Yet nurses...
The United States spends nearly $5 trillion annually on healthcare—more than any other nation in the world. Yet despite this staggering investment, the country consistently ranks near the bottom among developed nations in key measures such as life expectancy, chronic...
I just finished watching season 2 of The Pitt. If you have been watching it, I know you are trying to take in all the issues that were presented and what was left hanging for season 3. If you did not see it, you can stream season one and season 2 on HBO/Max. The Pitt...
Negotiation is one of the core skills nurse case managers rely on every day. Whether we’re coordinating care, advocating for services, or helping families navigate complex systems, we spend a surprising amount of time in conversations where emotions run high, and...
Healthcare in general is undergoing a profound transformation—in this article, I wanted to look at an area many of us don’t think about because we live in an urban or suburban area. Rural areas across the country are set to be hit the hardest as the Big Beautiful Bill...
Passover and Easter are both springtime religious holidays that celebrate liberation, renewal, and hope. Passover marks the Jewish people’s freedom from slavery in Egypt, while Easter celebrates Jesus’ resurrection in Christianity. Both holidays emphasize themes of...
Most of us are used to waiting for things — in line at the grocery store, at a red light, or for the coffee to finish brewing. How much waiting each of us can tolerate is deeply individual. But waiting in a healthcare setting is a different kind of waiting. It carries...
Using patient portals is a critical part of care coordination and helping the patient be an active member of their team. So why are they so difficult to use as compared to other industries? Think about other systems you have learned how to use over the past few...
In theory, your primary care physician (PCP) is the quarterback of your care. Managed care was designed so that every person had a PCP who knew them, followed them over time, and helped manage their health. In return, the managed care company paid the PCP a...
Last week, in Part One, I talked about the Discharge Planning Process. In Part Two, I wanted to continue the discussion and expand on how effective discharge planning can improve outcomes regardless of your setting Areas covered in part one: Emphasize early...
Discharge Planning is one of the most important functions that case managers and Board Certified Patient/Health Advocates perform. Depending on where you meet your patient, an inpatient hospital or rehabilitation facility, an outpatient rehabilitation facility, a...
If you asked a family member or friend what they expect when they enter the healthcare system—from a healthy person seeking preventive care, someone newly diagnosed with a terminal illness, to an individual facing a catastrophic injury—you would likely hear a similar...
One thing I realized as I progressed through my treatment for a central nervous system lymphoma in 2014 was the loss of control I had over my life. I no longer felt in control of my life as it revolved around lab tests, doctors’ appointments, and chemo...
Last week, I got an email from a friend inviting me to a party. I clicked the link, but the invite didn’t open. I did it a few more times and then had the sinking feeling….this is a fake email. I sent my friend an email asking if he’d sent out an invite to...
I recently moderated a webinar for new nurses who wanted to pivot their careers into workers’ compensation case management. We were discussing the competencies that nurse case managers need to bring to their jobs. One of the panelists said something that caught...
I heard a story on NPR over the weekend about kindness. The reporter shared an experience that changed his life. One day, he was in the men’s room at an airport, and a fellow traveler was washing his hands. When the traveler left, he said to the attendant...
Recently, I received a call from a company that arranges specialist appointments for my husband and me with our primary care doctor. When I answered the phone, the caller identified herself and asked to speak to my husband. I said he was not home, but that I was his...
Happy New Year! I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday season and that 2026 is off to a good start. I wanted to start the year with a reminder of the importance of preparing for the ‘what if’s. If I have learned anything from my cancer journey, it is that...
