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...
Welcome Back! I hope you and your family had a Merry Christmas. I want to say a massive thank-you for reading my Blog, Nurse Advocate, and for your comments, accolades, and support over the years. 2025 is a milestone year, marking 10 years of writing this Blog. My...
Recently, I received a call from a longtime friend and nurse case manager colleague, who said she has been thinking about me and wanted to reach out to see how I have been. We had a nice chat, caught up, and promised to stay in touch. As I sat there after the call, I...
I heard this quote recently, and it resonated with me in relation to my work as a case manager. Here it is: “One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.” This resonated with me, as anticipation and...
For this week’s Case Management article, I planned to write about how nurses can use career ladders to plan the trajectory of their careers. But then I saw an email from the American Nurses Association stating the U.S. Department of Education has officially excluded...
Recently, I’ve noticed a surge of articles on leadership in nursing landing in my inbox. A common theme runs through them: case managers must recognize their value and actively promote it within their organizations/communities. As I reflect on today’s current...
In 2025, U.S. healthcare spending is projected to reach $5.6 trillion, accounting for approximately 17.6% of the nation’s GDP. There is no slowing this cost as we have a system that feeds sick care. To control spiraling healthcare costs, we as a country must...
As a nurse case manager, I take pride in being empathetic and work hard to care for my patients to the best of my ability. But looking back, I ask myself: Did I truly know my patients? Did I take the time to learn about them beyond their medical conditions? Did I ask...
There is a saying that we meet our patients where they are. But as nurse case managers, we meet our patients where they are and work to help them find the resources they need to move forward. As part of the nurse case managers’ assessment, we are charged with...
