This week, we debut a new look and feel for Across My Desk. The goal is to provide additional sponsorship opportunities for companies that support the practice of case management. I hope you will take the time to visit their sites and investigate the products and services they offer. And consider using them as you develop your own plan of care for your patients.
My vision for the weekly E-Newsletter and blog has not changed. If you recall when I introduced this free service to you on May 24, 2006, my goal was to share with you news, trends, issues and questions that come Across My Desk each week. As busy healthcare professionals, finding time to keep current with the daily news and professional journals can be a challenge. As noted by the responses that I have received over the past months, Across My Desk has been well received and is meeting the needs of the industry.
To navigate this new format and read the complete E-Newsletter and News You Can Use entries, just point your cursor to the words “Click here to read more,” and you will be re-directed to the page that contains the information. To get back to the main page, use your back button or click on the title bar at the top of the page.
In this week’s News You Can Use, I encourage you to read the story from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) on the new quality measures they are rolling out this year that will impact health plans. These requirements raise the bar for case managers as they manage patients with chronic conditions. The new guidelines will help focus your management, assist as you develop your plan of care, and provide documentation on the three main outcomes on which case managers can have the most impact: patient education and empowerment; adherence to care; and care coordination.
As you review this story, I hope you will take up the challenge Dorland Healthcare Information recently announced in collaboration with the Case Management Society of American. With our February/March 2007 issue marking the inauguration of Case in Point as the CMSA’s official magazine, CMSA President Connie Commander has included an open call in the issue to case managers in settings across the care continuum to tell your story of how you and your organization are making a difference and establishing best practices in today’s healthcare system. We will choose four winners and publish their stories in the June/July 2007 issue of Case in Point.
Please note the following:
- In addition to being published in Case in Point, four prizes will be awarded!
- You do not need to be a member of the Case Management Society of America to enter the contest.
- If you did not receive the February/March 2007 issue of Case in Point and would like details on the contest, email me at allewellyn@dorlandhealth.com and I will send you a copy of the letter so you can learn the details and enter the contest!
I look forward to hearing from you. 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
