Quality & Outcomes Educational Sessions

Telehealth & Technology, Quality & Outcomes, Hospice

Point of Care Technology: The Key to Outcome Improvement

Agencies are feeling pressure to invest in systems that can help them achieve their organizational goals but need options that are affordable and cost-effective. Fortunately, point of care systems are becoming more sophisticated in terms of functionality that create an environment for improved outcomes with integrated disease management programs, care planning and reporting. Systems today can provide greater accountability and inter-disciplinary communications that ensure the team is working together to improve care as the presenters will show.

Objectives:

• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of current hardware and wireless technology choices for use by the clinical field staff.
• Formulate a strategy for evaluating their agency's point of care needs, determining if their system meets those needs and what options are available now.
• Design, implement and measure a clinical outcomes improvement plan by more effectively utilizing point of care systems available today.

Faculty: Robin Finkelstein, Marketing Director, Homecare Homebase, Dallas , TX; Susan Freeman, RN and IT Director, Director of Information Technology, Alacare Home Health and Hospice, Birmingham, AL; April Anthony, CPA, Chief Executive Officer, Advanced Homecare Management Inc, Dallas, TX;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Quality & Outcomes, Clinical & Disease Management, Management & Human Resources

Creative Wound Care In-Services

Wound care scores low? No one showing up for the mandatory i.e. "master blast"? Education should be individualized and fun. If you have a hard time with per diems attending educational programs many vendors offer web casts, on-line education or teaching days. Let us show you some creative ways to achieve those essential wound documentation outcomes you desire.

Objectives:

• List two tips to implement an effective wound staging training program.
• Discuss the financial benefits of teaching your staff to document well.
• Identify two benefits of having a wound care specialist assist in training your staff.

Faculty: Elizabeth O'Connell-Gifford, BSN, MBA, RN, ET, CWOCN, DAPWCA, Clinical Education Consultant, Medline Industries, Inc., Mundelein, IL; Mary Jo Nethaway, RN, BSN, ET Nurse, Community Health Center, Johnstown, NY;

Course Level: Novice; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Quality & Outcomes, Clinical & Disease Management, Telehealth & Technology

How to Build a Successful Wound Care Specialist Program

Treatment of wounds and ulcers, particularly in a geriatric population, is a highly specialized field. Yet home care agencies seeking to utilize wound care consultation nurses historically faced significant resource constraints. The advent of digital photography has lessened these resource constraints, as visual assessment of wounds can take place over a large catchment area. Participants will learn how to operationalize wound care consultations as part of routine care using digital photography and the impact wound care consultations can have on OASIS outcomes.

Objectives:

• Identify how to craft a wound care consultation protocol.
• Explain the impact of wound care quality on publicly reported measures and for Pay for Performance.
• Discuss the impact on OASIS wound outcomes of a wound consultation program.

Faculty: Marilyn Hecker, BSN, MSNAdmin, MAEd, Vice President, Staff Development, Metropolitan Jewish Health System, Brooklyn, NY; Eliot Fishman, Ph.D., Vice President, Research and Policy, Metropolitan Jewish Health System, Brooklyn, NY;

Course Level: Novice; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Quality & Outcomes, Clinical & Disease Management, Telehealth & Technology

Guaranteed or Your Money BackHow to Reduce Rehospitalization

In this session you will learn about a system guaranteed to reduce rehospitalization and emergent care. Audit tools, risk assessments, telehealth protocols, best practices, TelephonicVisits SM/Care Calls components, and team communication methodologies will be presented that have proven to produce dramatic results in improving these critical outcomes for one home care company. All home care providers are focused on improving acute care hospitalization and emergent care outcomes. As pay for performance and disease management loom closer, that focus becomes vital to survival in tomorrow's home care environment.

Objectives:

• Discuss and identify national and organizational goals for reduction of acute care hospitalization.
• Describe specific areas of focus common to most home health agencies.
• Identify best practices to achieve best outcomes.

Faculty: Lynda Laff, BSN, Chief Operating Officer, Island Health Care, Inc., Savannah, GA; Ellen Bolch, MSN, MHA, President & CEO, THA Services and Island Health Care, Inc., Savannah, GA;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Telehealth & Technology, Quality & Outcomes

Incorporating Telehealth into Standard Clinical Practices

Telehealth is gaining prominence as a highly practical and economic solution to overseeing a growing population with fewer and fewer nurses. Two home health agencies, through lessons learned, barriers, and best practices, will demonstrate how telehealth can be successfully incorporated into the best nursing practices. Proven telehealth models will be discussed in detail, including patient selection, staffing, costs, level of effort, implementation, training, return on investment, and improved outcomes.

Objectives:

• Identify best practices for implementing a telehealth program.
• Formulate a return on investment equation for a telehealth program.
• Recognize the ways in which telehealth improves quality of care and patient outcomes.

Faculty: Gina Petersen, RN, MSN, CPHQ , Chief Information Officer, Neighborhood Health Agencies, Inc., West Chester, PA; Amy Peck, RN, Clinical Project Manager, McKesson, Springfield, MO; Karen Grant, RN, MSN, CPHQ, Director of QI / Staff Education, Valley Home Care, Inc., Paramus, NJ; Ellen McAndris, RN, MPA, CNA,C, Director Professional / Clinical Services, Valley Home Care, Inc., Paramus, NJ;

Course Level: Novice; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Quality & Outcomes, Management & Human Resources

Investing in Staff Performance for Higher Returns in P4P

Agency leaders are striving to find ways to enhance staff accountability as they prepare for pay for performance (P4P). The agency competency assessment and performance evaluation are excellent vehicles that, if revised, can be used to achieve new standing. Today's competency assessment and performance evaluation tools are primarily subjective, and not often designed to achieve this end. These tools need a fresh, new design to support home health leadership as it prepares to transition to an outcomes-based culture necessary to succeed in a pay for performance environment. Attendees will be shown concise steps for revising their existing tools. Take-home examples will be provided.

Objectives:

• Describe how staff competency and performance can affect care quality and affect agency financials.
• Integrate agency's best practices and clinical outcomes into staff competency and performance.
• Determine the financial impact of employee performance on agency financial outcomes.

Faculty: Melinda Huffman, MSN, CCNS, Principal Consultant, OUTCOME Logics, Inc., Winchester, TN; Sherry Taylor, AD, CHCE, Director, Homecare Operations, Quorum Health Resources, Brentwood, TN;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA);

Quality & Outcomes, Financial, Clinical & Disease Management, Hospice

Outcome Management: Achieving Financial and Clinical Accountability

In this fast paced workshop, participants will learn why Outcome Management is an ideal management system for home care, hospice, private pay, and other health sectors, how it works and why it has such a positive effect on staff morale and retention. More importantly, attendees will learn first hand how one home care agency leader opted to move from traditional management to the highly accountable Outcome Management System and the impact it had on her agency's operation and outcomes.

Objectives:

• Discuss the major challenges and limitations to traditional management systems.
• Identify the fundamental components of an Outcome Management type of management system.
• Describe implementation of a new management system and the impact on quality and financial outcomes.

Faculty: Robert Fazzi, BA, M. Ed. and Ed.D., President/CEO, Fazzi Associates, Northampton, MA; Carla Braveman, RN, MEd and CHCE, President and CEO, VNA and Hospice Care of Cooley Dickinson, Northampton, MA;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA);

Quality & Outcomes, Clinical & Disease Management, Leadership, Hospice

The Service Call: A Radical Approach to Admission Delays

This session focuses on one of the most difficult challenges for agencies today: How to deal with increasing demand and the capacity limits imposed by a nursing shortage. One of the more innovative approaches is to ease the burden of the admission for the nurse by using non-nurse talent to get the admission process going. The service rep model is also very helpful in the hospital setting, when liaisons are finding less time for marketing because of heavy referral volume. This program looks at a different response that can help the referral source while facilitating the admission process.

Objectives:

• Create training tools to help the rep identify key patient and caregiver needs.
• Assess value of admissions nurses and develop training program for them.
• Utilize the service rep in hospital settings and for discharged home care patients.

Faculty: Polly Rehnwall, BA, MA, Senior Consultant, Polly Rehnwall Inc., Salt Lake City , UT;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Pediatric Home Care, Clinical & Disease Management, Quality & Outcomes

Providing Synagis in the Home: Improving the Outcome

Synagis (Palivizumab) is a drug used to prevent serious respiratory illness caused by Respiratory Syncitial Virus (RSV) in pediatric patients at high risk of RSV disease. Cincinnati Children's Home Care Services enrolled approximately 385 patients in a home-based Synagis program last season. In order to successfully manage this patient population, a multidisciplinary team was created. This program will demonstrate how a home-based Synagis program can improve patient outcomes.

Objectives:

• Discuss RSV and identify the criteria for Synagis administration.
• Describe the components of a home care Synagis team.
• Cite an advantage to providing Synagis therapy in the home.

Faculty: Sylvia Rineair, RN, BSN, Clinical Director, Cincinnati Children's Home Care Services, Cincinnati, OH; Monica Borell, RN, Lead Synagis Coordinator, Cincinnati Children's Home Care Services, Cincinnati, OH; John Myers, RPh, MBA, Operations Manager, Cincinnati Children's Home Care Services, Cincinnati, OH;

Course Level: Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Quality & Outcomes, Hospice

CMS Quality Improvement Update

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is focusing ever-increasing attention and resources on improving the quality of care delivered by Medicare home health and hospice providers. During this session representatives from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will provide the latest available information about CMS quality initiatives. The presentation will focus on, but will not be limited to: a P4P update; up-to-the-minute results from the QIO 8th SoW including resultant collaboratives and initiatives; and current special projects such as the "Hospice Quality Improvement," "Transitions of Care," "Home Health STAR," and "Care Management Across the Continuum." A look into plans for future work on home health quality, including stakeholder partnerships, will also be presented.

Objectives:

• Identify CMS plans for implementing P4P in home health.
• Describe the QIO 8th Scope of Work.
• Discuss the CMS Hospice Quality Improvement initiative.

Faculty: Debbra Hattery, Deputy Director, Quality Measurement and Health Assessment Group, CMS, Baltimore, MD; LT. David Dietz, Government Task Leader, Home Health Quality Improvement, Quality Improvement Group, CMS, Baltimore, MD; Cynthia Pamon, Home Health/Nursing Home Quality Improvement Specialist, Quality Improvement Group, CMS, Baltimore, MD;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Quality & Outcomes, Clinical & Disease Management

Clinical Documentation: Magic Wands and Improvement Strategies

Documentation reflects the quality of care provided. One agency decided that pain needed to be a focus area for documentation and OBQI/OBQM efforts, and that the agency needed standards to support OASIS case mix items. They initiated an evidenced-based approach to staff education that included interrater reliability for pain rating scales and alternative approaches to pain management. Speakers will share useful strategies, and participants will evaluate documentation in relation to pain management, best practices, and OBQI/OBQM.

Objectives:

• Identify the benefits of using a quality improvment action plan for documentation.
• Discuss the key components of a successful quality improvement action plan for documentation.
• Involve participants in documentation review that focuses on pain management.

Faculty: Karen Martin, RN, MSN, FAAN, Health Care Consultant, Martin Associates, Omaha, NE; Leslie Larsen, RN, Home Care Supervisor, Polk County Home Care, Balsam Lake, WI;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Clinical & Disease Management, Quality & Outcomes

The Team Approach to a Urinary Incontinence Program

Home health care agencies can successfully develop and implement an interdisciplinary team approach to treating urinary incontinence. There are multiple resources available in the home care industry to aid an agency in proper planning, training and implementation of a urinary incontinence program. Learn how one agency utilized a physical therapist consultant specializing in women's health services to educate and train the nursing and rehab staff, resulting in a competent team of clinicians successfully providing positive patient outcomes and improvements in quality of life for the home care patient.

Objectives:

• Discuss the scope of urinary incontinence problems within the home health setting.
• Identify the educational requirements needed to develop and implement an interdisciplinary urinary incontinence (UI) program.
• Demonstrate the ability to provide cost-effective utilization of services with the UI program, incorporating assessment data directly onto the OASIS.

Faculty: Theresa Gates, PT, Director of Professional Services, Home Care Advantage, Jacksonville, FL; Cynthia Neville, PT, Corporate Director of Women's Health Rehabilitatio, Rehab Institute of Chicago, Jacksonville, FL;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Hospice, Leadership, Quality & Outcomes

Innovative Methods for Patient Comfort and Caregiver Satisfaction

This workshop will focus on skills and techniques for implementing integrative therapies within the confines of the routine home care or hospice visit; improved outcomes for patient pain and symptom management when patients are unable to tolerate or more traditional methods fail to be effective; And improved outcomes of caregiver satisfaction in managing patient symptoms using a combination of traditional methods of pain and symptom management along with CAM methods. Workshop participants will be guided through hands-on experiential exercises to determine how they may broaden the scope of their practice to include these valuable tools in daily practice.

Objectives:

• Identify five integrative therapies appropriate for your setting.
• Cite three reasons why integrative therapies are an effective method to use with traditional pain and symptom management strategies.
• Identify clinical applications of at least three integrative therapies that can be implemented within 10 - 15 minutes during a routine home visit.

Faculty: Esther Johnson, RN, BSN, PHN, Hospice Nurse Case Manager, Integrative Therapies , Pathways Home Health, Hospice & Private Duty, Sunnyvale, CA;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Pediatric Home Care, Quality & Outcomes

Precious Outcomes: Measuring Quality in Pediatric Home Care

Benchmarks derived from OASIS data and other standardized sources since the introduction of the prospective payment system have become commonplace when evaluating the quality of care delivered by home health agencies. Established assessments and metrics address the experience of adult patient populations receiving home health services. In this session, presenters will speak to the development of assessments and metrics that address the experiences of pediatric patients or their families.

Objectives:

• Describe the value of measuring quality outcomes for pediatric home care population.
• Discuss the steps to develop an online pediatric data entry and reporting tool to produce quality outcome reports and inform performance improvement plans.
• Describe how key components of OCS-Pediatric can inform performance improvement plans.

Faculty: Tina Schwien, MN, MPH, Senior Data Consultant, Outcome Concept Systems Inc., Seattle, WA; Dale Valentine, Vice President of Compliance and Quality, Pediatric Services of America, Norcross, ID; Jeff Gilbert, Director of Data Consulting, Outcome Concept Systems, Inc., Seattle, WA;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Quality & Outcomes, Legal, Regulatory & Risk Management

Bad Ideas for OASIS Accuracy

This session will highlight a number of strategies and practices that some agencies have implemented in efforts to improve OASIS data accuracy. In some cases, these practices to "improve accuracy" are in fact inefficient and counterproductive, and in some cases down-right noncompliant. Attendees will be introduced to a model to analyze OASIS data collection practices for effectiveness and compliance. A review of current problematic industry practices will be exposed and resolved.

Objectives:

• Identify examples of operational strategies and practices that may unintentionally have unfavorable effects on OASIS data accuracy.
• Identify opportunities and strategies to improve OASIS accuracy and compliance.
• Describe a process for critically evaluating data accuracy efforts for effectiveness and compliance.

Faculty: Linda Krulish, PT, MHS, COS-C, President, OASIS Answers, Inc., Redmond, WA; Patricia Sevast, BSN, RN, Nurse Consultant, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Baltimore, MD;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Leadership, Quality & Outcomes, Management & Human Resources

Corporate Culture: The Six Sigma Approach

This program will describe how a multi-product line organization changed from a silo oriented focus to one of interdisciplinary collaboration through systematic change in the corporate culture and leadership style. By shifting from a traditional culture to a Six Sigma/Lean culture focusing on quality at all levels, the organization produced significant results in employee empowerment, customer service focused outcomes, quality and integration of services, and a shift in thinking from "we-they" to "us". As a result, the organization experienced a $1.5 million dollar turnaround in 18 months.

Objectives:

• Describe the difference between traditional culture and Six Sigma/Lean Culture.
• Illustrate the impact of using a talent management system.
• Identify the leadership role in organizational change.

Faculty: Nancy Martin, MSN, RN, President & CEO, VitalCare, Cheboygan, MI; Shari McLennan, BSN, RN, Director of Quality Improvement, VitalCare, Cheboygan, MI;

Course Level: Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA);

Quality & Outcomes, Clinical & Disease Management

Braden Scale versus OASIS: Pressure Ulcer Prediction and Prevention

A collaborative initiative between the University of Kansas School of Nursing and Cerner BeyondNow proposes to examine risk factors for pressure ulcers in elder home patients. The study uses OASIS data and computerized decision support system that links risk to prevention by triggering needed interventions from identified risk factors. Research suggests that computerized decision support systems at the point of care significantly improves evidence based clinical practice. Agency specific participation in the study and implementation of process improvement protocols also will be described.

Objectives:

• Describe current evidence for prediction of pressure ulcer development in the home care setting.
• Identify needed direction for systematic prevention practices.
• Discuss a collaborative initiative for "state of the science" practice of pressure ulcer prevention combining research methodology and information systems.

Faculty: Kathleen Dodd, CRNI, COS-C, Director of Clinical Services, At Home Care, Inc., Oneonta, NY; Sandra Bergquist-Beringer, RN, PhD, CWCN, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS; Kim Wipf, RN, BSN, CCRN, Solution Manager, Cerner BeyondNow, Overland Park, KS;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Quality & Outcomes, Financial

Get Ready for Performance-Based Pay

Although Pay for Performance (P4P) will only begin to be implemented in 2007, it is essential that agencies start reviewing and addressing key outcome measures now. By reviewing the key outcome measures today, as well as communicating and achieving buy-in from clinical staff, the agency can implement process and achieve outcome improvement before P4P implementation occurs. This will position your agency for success.

Objectives:

• Discuss the P4P concept, its impact on agency financial performance, public perception, clinical staff, and patients .
• Identify key reporting needs for P4P as well as demonstrate example reports and processes which would aide home care agencies in becoming prepared.
• Employ a buy-in from agency clinical staff for ultimate success.

Faculty: Raymond Helms, MPH, Agency Administrator, ComfortCare Home Health & Hospice, Chesapeake, VA; Imelda Agnat, RN, Director of Patient Services, ComfortCare Home Health & Hospice, Chesapeake, VA; Sarah D'Orvilliers, Senior Solutions Designer, Cerner BeyondNow, Centennial, CO;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA);

Quality & Outcomes

The "Lean Method" Approach to Performance Improvement

The Kodak Operating System (KOS), an approach to apply Lean Methods, has been utilized throughout Kodak, ranging from manufacturing to office work, research, and logistics, with the primary objectives of improving efficiencies and quality while reducing waste and overall expense. Details regarding the use of the Lean Method in the VNS intake department to meet or exceed external benchmarks and streamline the scheduling of admissions visits will be explained in this session. A formal closing meeting took place approximately one month after the work began, demonstrating $400,000 in savings for 2006.

Objectives:

• Discuss core principles of the Lean Method.
• Demonstrate application of Lean Methods to the VNS intake department.
• Discuss role of independent facilitator.

Faculty: Meredith Graham, MS, KOS (Kodak Operating System) Manager, Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY; Timothy Ashe, RN, MBA, MS, Vice President, Clinical Operations, Visiting Nurse Services of Rochester & Monroe Coun, Webster, NY; Kevin Gobeyn, Senior Principal Scientist, Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Quality & Outcomes

Medicare QIO and Home Health Agency Collaboration: The Present and Future of Quality Improvement

Medicare quality of care and public reporting requirements have helped to promote the partnerships between home health agencies and Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs). This program will explore program priorities for QIO work with home health agencies and provide specific approaches that have resulted in improved care of patients and reduced hospitalizations during the 8th Scope of Work. In addition, the vision for ongoing work between QIOs and home health agencies will be explored.

Objectives:

• Describe the QIO program priorities for working with home health agencies.
• Recognize specific approaches QIOs will use to improve care for home health patients and reduce avoidable hospitalizations.
• Describe the home health environment in 2006 and the vision for the home health agencies improvement efforts.

Faculty: David Adler, Director of Government Affairs, American Health Quality Association, Washington, DC; Marian Essey, RN, BSN, Health Quality Improvement Project Director, Quality Insights of Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, PA;

Course Level: Intermediate; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Clinical & Disease Management, Quality & Outcomes

A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Diabetes Education for the Home Care Client

This presentation will provide the purpose and key elements of diabetes education in the home care setting. A quality improvement project was developed and implemented by HealthEast Home Care for diabetes education in response to an increasing number of adverse events for hyper/hypoglycemia. In order to improve results, a diabetes education pathway was developed and implemented by the registered dietitian/certified diabetes educator (RD, CDE). This pathway is a multidisciplinary approach to diabetes education.

Objectives:

• Identify the challenge of providing coordinated care for the home care client with diabetes.
• Discuss the components of diabetes education.
• Explain the contributions of each member of the health care team.

Faculty: Janet Morrison, RD, CDE, Registered Dietitian/Certified Diabetes Educator, HealthEast Home Care, St. Paul, MN; Nadine Paitich, RN, BSN, Clinical Manager of Routine Nursing, HealthEast Home Care, St. Paul, MN;

Course Level: Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Clinical & Disease Management, Quality & Outcomes

Successful Transformation of a COPD Palliative Care Program throughout the Continuum of Care

This interactive workshop will allow the participant to experience first hand two of the latest, cutting-edge technologies being used at VNA Care Network, the nation's second largest freestanding VNA. The workshop will showcase: (1) a web-based, virtual classroom using multi-media technology to provide home health orientation, inservicing, and continuing education; and (2) a computerized patient simulator, a virtual patient, to validate competency and critical thinking in the home health industry. This workshop will allow participants to identify new technologies that can be integrated into their organization to increase productivity, improve quality, promote cost efficiencies and support nursing recruitment and retention.

Objectives:

• Describe the performance improvement process used to develop a palliative care delivery model for COPD patients.
• Explain the care delivery model developed to manage the COPD palliative care patient across the continuum
• Review opportunities for program expansion.

Faculty: Tammy Nuesmeyer, MSN, RNBC, Program Manager, St Rita's Home Health, Lima, OH; Herb Wilker, MSW, LSW, Hospice Social Worker, St. Rita's Hospice, Lima, OH;

Course Level: Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);

Quality & Outcomes, Hospice

Joint Commission Update

This session will begin with the identification of significant Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations' standards, accreditation participation requirements, and National Patient Safety Goal changes. Attendees will receive current accreditation and standards information directly from the Joint Commission. Presenters will also identify significant areas of non-compliance with the standards and tips to help organizations meet those standards.

Objectives:

• Identify significant Joint Commission standards, accreditation participation requirements and National Patient Safety Goal changes.
• Discuss experience with the first year of unannounced surveys.
• Discuss future expectations regarding accreditation.

Faculty: Maryanne Popovich, RN, MPH, Executive Director, Home Care Accreditation Service, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, Oakbrook Terrace, IL; Bob Floro, RRT, BA, Associate Director, Home Care Accreditation Service, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, Oakbrook Terrace, IL;

Course Level: Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending); 1.0 CPEs (NASBA/SKA);

Quality & Outcomes, Management & Human Resources

Roles and Functions of Case Managers - Exciting New Research

Case management is an ever-changing and dynamic field, in a myriad of settings. This presentation will announce the findings of one of the most comprehensive case management research studies ever conducted. This study examines the roles and functions of over 4,500 case managers in a variety of settings - hospitals, home care, insurance, worker's compensation, managed care companies and independent case management companies - and will discuss the implications of the findings for the field of case management. The presentation will also cover the need for professional certification in consumer protection, as it provides a Code of Professional Conduct and requires professionals to remain current with practice in their chosen field.

Objectives:

• Describe the background and overview of the Role and Function Survey of Case Managers.
• Discuss the findings of the study specific to home care case management.
• Discuss the implications of the study on the field of case management and the need for certification as a practicing professional.

Faculty: Mindy Owen, RN, CRRN, CCM, Immediate Past Chair, Commission for Case Manager Certification, Rolling Meadows, IL; Dorothy Consonery-Fairnot, RN, MSHA, CCM, ABDA, CNLC, Commissioner, Commission for Case Manager Certification, Rolling Meadows,, IL;

Course Level: Advanced; 1.8 nursing CEs (MNA Approval Pending);