Last week, I took a vacation that forced me to stop and smell the roses. As I took in the sunshine and beauty of the Caribbean, I had an opportunity to relax and reflect on many things. Taking time to do this occasionally is important for all of us, as it allows us to put our lives in perspective and helps keep us open and ready for life’s opportunities and challenges. As I thought about my upcoming year as Editor-in-Chief of Case in Point and Across My Desk, I realized that the future is bright for case managers. The practice of case management is changing from the traditional or solo-practice model that many of us first learned to a more dynamic, integrated and comprehensive practice, blending utilization management, case management and disease management to address the complex health and social needs of today’s consumers.

To illustrate the new and coming opportunities in our practice, I have collected links to several articles this week that provide the consumer’s perspective on our work. As you will see as you review each article, the topics include technology, care coordination, wellness activities within work settings, and the expansion of long term care as an employee benefit employers can use to increase productivity.

Understanding these needs helps professionals adapt their professional skills so they can remain responsive to their patients’ needs. A common theme runs through all of these articles, and that is professional development. To grow as professionals, we must be willing to undergo our own continuous introspective review process. This allows us to see where we are and target where we want to go so we remain open to opportunities and are ready to “seize the day.”

As we wind down the year, this is a good time to take a few minutes to reflect on where we are and the direction we want our professional careers to go in. Are you satisfied with your current position? If so, acknowledge it, but also think about what keeps you stimulated and fresh. What goals do you want to achieve for yourself? Jot down the steps that you want take to achieve your goals in your current position. If you come to the conclusion that you’re ready for a change, think about what type of change you want to make. Is there opportunity within your current organization or are you ready to move to a new setting? Is your resume up to date? Does it demonstrate your current skills, experience and accomplishments? Maybe you are ready to share your expertise with others and contribute to the practice in a more public venue. If you don’t belong to a professional organization such as CMSA, this might be the year that you decide to join and become active in your local chapter. Working collaboratively with others for a common goal is rewarding and exciting.

Do you have a story to tell or a case study that you would like to share with your fellow case managers or the public? Some possibilities include writing an article about case management in your local paper so that the public begins to learn about the value of our work. Or, perhaps you can share your story in a professional publication. As always, you’re welcome to submit ideas to me for a future article in Case in Point magazine. You may also want to volunteer to be a guest editor for this weekly blog, Across My Desk.

Professional growth is exciting, but it does take planning. Make sure that as you begin to prepare for the holidays, you spend a few hours to reflect on how you will “seize the day.”

Have a good 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