I hope you all had a good week. As we were all hard at work, the Board of Directors of the Case Management Society of America met in Washington, D.C., for the Fall Board Meeting. While in D.C., many members of the board were able to visit with their representatives and senators. In addition, the leadership of CMSA met with key officials to share the vision, mission and purpose of case management, and how it can be part of the solution in improving our healthcare system. More information will be coming out from CMSA on the outcome of the visit as well as next steps over the next few weeks, so keep checking www.cmsa.org for more information.
As many will recall, last week I invited readers to answer several questions to stories that I felt had a direct impact on the practice of case management. I am happy to say that we had two winners who took the time to send me their thoughts, examples of their best practices, and their views on several of the questions. The answers reflect how case managers are making a difference and improving the lives of the patients that they touch in various settings. Please take time to review the responses. The winners were:
- Christine A. Trisch, RN, BSN, CCM, from HealthPlus of Michigan
- Liz Zemke, RN, CCM, an independent case manager from California
By coincidence, I received an email from Margaret Andrews-Fournier, RN, CCM, from San Antonio, Texas. In her email, she explained an exciting project that she has been working on and wanted to share with others. She has designed a commemorative medallion to honor our wounded warriors. She has dedicated this medallion to all wounded, and fallen warriors as a token of her sincere appreciation for their courage, sacrifice and heroism. The medallion also represents the love she has for her husband, SFC Geraldo Fournier, Sr., who has been deployed to Iraq for over 16 months.
The design is a two-inch brass/bronze medallion. The front shows the caregivers that mend the physical, emotional and spiritual wounds of these warriors, and includes the words, “Compassionate Care for Our Wounded Warriors,” in a 3-D cast. The back displays the words “The United States Of America,” and a color image of the flag. Margaret was able to send a sample of the medallion that I thought that I would share with you in this week’s edition of Across My Desk.
I was so touched by this, that I thought this would be the perfect gift for each of the winners. Margaret feels that the medallions should be ready for delivery over the next few weeks, so as soon as I receive them, I’ll get packages off to the winners.
If you are interested in finding out more, please contact Margaret directly. She informed me that the cost of the medallion is $10 (plus $1.50 for shipping and handling). Her address is:
10106 Winton Park Drive
San Antonio, TX 78250
and her phone number is 210-521-2191.
Till next week, have a safe and productive week!
Anne Llewellyn, RN-BC, MS, BHSA, CCM, CRRN
Editor-in-Chief of Across My Desk, Case in Point magazine, and the Case Management Resource Guide
allewellyn@dorlandhealth.com
