By Anne Llewellyn, RN.C, BHSA, CCM, CRRN, Editor-in-Chief

A FREE online service to keep busy case managers updated on pertinent TRENDS in the Practice, courtesy of Dorland Healthcare Information.

Upcoming Conferences:

Webinar: Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit: Primer and Update on This New Benefit for the Elderly – Date: May 17

First in a series on the new program being implemented by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Hear a brief history of the prescription drug benefit, the process of implementation, its current status, and additional background on what is known as Medicare Part D. Case Managers who want to be involved in educating consumers about Medicare Part D, tune into the Webinar and get your questions answered in an online anonymous Q & A session. To learn more about the meeting and to access registration information go to the Webinar’s page on the Drug Information Association’s web site.

Case Management Society of America 16th Conference and Expo: June 13-17th, 2006 Gaylord Texan Resort and Conference Center on Lake Grapevine, Dallas Fort Worth. For information and registration instructions go to http://www.cmsa.org/. This is the conference of the year for case managers and those involved in the practice of medical management! Hope to see you there!!!

May is Dedicated to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing:

Case Managers take some time to celebrate better hearing and speech with the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program. To learn more, consult these resources:

• http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/ehdi/
• http://www.agbell.org/DesktopDefault.aspx
• http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/hrsa/odhh/

News and Trends

Case Managers Need to Take Action in Local Communities to Assist in Disaster Preparedness

A recent White House Report on pandemic flu painted a grim picture of the social and economic chaos that could overtake the country in a serious outbreak, including widespread illness and 40 percent absenteeism, potential school closures and travel restrictions. No one knows when or if a pandemic will occur, but experts fear that a bird-flu virus that is now spreading across the globe could spark one should it mutate and develop the ability to spread easily among people. The dire projections are prompting new anxiety among Americans already reeling from hurricane disasters. Unlike a hurricane that’s confined to a specific area over a short time, a pandemic flu strikes everywhere and can last a year or more.

Case Managers who are trained in patient education and medical care coordination can be a useful resource for local agencies that are responsible for disaster preparedness. As we are keenly aware from the devastation that took place in October, 2005 from the Gulf Coast and Florida last year, case managers should begin to get involved with local communities. You can help local communities in coordinating plans to educate residents on ways to prepare for the impending hurricane season. Here are some resources that case managers can access to learn more about the issue:

• President Outlines Pandemic Influenza Preparations and Response
• National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza
• WHO Global Influenza Preparedness Plan (PDF)

Primary Care First Line of Response for Alcoholics

A study published in the Journal of American Medical Association on May 3, 2006 found that primary-care doctors can treat alcoholism effectively, a finding that could greatly expand access to treatment. The study found that alcoholics who took the drug naltrexone and met occasionally with a doctor or nurse fared as well as alcoholics who did both and had up to 20 psychotherapy sessions. Dr. Mark Willenbring, from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, said that this could substantially improve access to treatment. Primary care doctors can treat alcoholism effectively, a finding that could greatly expand access to treatment.

Click here to access the study.

CDC Proposes Changes in HIV Testing Rules

The CDC is proposing a major change in HIV testing guidelines that would allow doctors to make screening for the virus that causes AIDS a routine aspect of medical care for all Americans between the ages of 16 and 64. In a sweeping revision of HIV guidelines, CDC officials say the agency also will recommend that patients no longer be required to sign separate informed-consent forms before submitting to an HIV test – a current guideline that is law in New York and some other states. The CDC also plans to suggest eliminating or abbreviating requirements for often-lengthy pretest counseling. The aim, CDC officials and doctors who support the changes say, is to broaden the scope and simplify the process of HIV testing to reach more infected people as early as possible. The CDC estimates that about 25 percent of the one million people now infected with HIV in the U.S. are unaware that they carry the virus, and that they may not find out until the infection progresses to the potentially lethal symptoms of AIDS. By that time, the patient could have unknowingly infected many other people.

As case managers are at the forefront of patient education and adherence to treatment, this trend will have tremendous implications for case managers. To read more about this and follow the discussion, go to:

• WSJ Online (or pick up the May 8th issue of the Wall Street Journal). Also, check out these sites:
• CDC: Routinely Recommended HIV Testing as Part of Regular Medical Care Services
• http://www.who.int/hiv/en/

Now that the Warm Weather is here, check out a New, Fun Workout?

As we all know, exercise and improved nutrition is essential for good health. Case managers need to take time to care for our own health, not just the health of others. Here is a new exercise routine that may help you jump start your exercise program and also improve your tennis game! Hope that you check it out!! Cardio Tennis is a new, fun group program taught by certified tennis professionals that includes warm-up drills, cardio drills and a cool-down segment. It’s for players of all abilities. For information, go to http://www.cardiotennis.com/.

Design Changes Improve Hospital Safety

Hospital administrators and architects are rethinking the way they design hospitals as providers focus on challenges like improving efficiency and preventing medical errors. Innovations like no-slip floors and glass walls are improving safety and allowing staff to monitor patients better. The May 8th issue of the Wall Street Journal focused on St. Joseph’s Hospital in West Bend, Wisconsin, which hired Nashville’s Gresham Smith and Partners to study the question of how a safer hospital could be built. The hospital also arranged a hospital safety design summit attended by safety experts from the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins. The result of the project include mean that the new room layouts are standardized, meaning doctors and staff can find what they need quickly. Nurse stations are strategically positioned with clear lines of sight to patient rooms. Rooms use simulated natural lighting to make diagnosis easier and improve the patient environment. Although the changes are new, reports are that the changes are working on both the safety and financial fronts. Anecdotal evidence suggests that infection rates, injuries from falls and medication errors are lower than at the old facility. To learn more on this trend go to WSJ Online (subscription required) or pick up a copy of the Wall Street Journal May 8, 2006 edition. The article was found on the front page of the newspapers!

Next edition will be available May 17th at http://www.cmrg.com/blog/. For comments and questions, contact Anne Llewellyn at allewellyn@dorlandhealth.com.