CMSA Conference: Day Four

I hope you are all doing well. I certainly am. The CMSA show always gives me a lift. But before moving to the exciting developments of Day Four here in Orlando, I would like to inquire for a moment about Case in Point magazine. Have you received the June/July issue?

If so, you will have noticed that the CE credits are no longer on hard copy within the magazine. Don’t panic. We are still offering four contact hours of continuing education credits in each issue of Case in Point, but they are now located online. You will find the post-test and program evaluation on the main page if you click on the icon in the upper right-hand corner. Just print off and follow the directions for submission. Should you not yet have received the magazine, it will arrive any day now.

Now Back to the Show

Day Four was a day to explore resources. I began with a demonstration of the new web-based documentation system, Acuity AnyWare, which independent and medium-to-small case management companies can use to track their cases. It is a robust system that allows case managers to perform their work in an organized manner, while keeping information in a manageable system. If you would like to explore a demo version, click here. This tool is now a member benefit from the Case Management Society of America.

I also met a long-time colleague at the show, Carol Canada, whose career has been in hospital case management. As Director of Case Management for her organization, she became frustrated at her inability to show the value of her department. She showed me a demo of a new web-based software program that she developed for the acute-care side of the practice. She is preparing to market the product in the next few weeks. If you work in a hospital and are looking for ways to validate your practice, feel free to contact Carol Canada via e-mail at carol.canada@casemanagercare.com to learn more about the program.

Next I moved to an exciting program titled Giving Credit Where Credit is Due—The Science and Art of Calculating Clinical and Financial Outcomes Based Upon the Methods Evaluation Process. This was a four-hour session where those who attended received an in-depth view of the work that Dr. Tom Wilson and his colleagues are doing in the area of population health at the Population Health Institute.

In talking with some of the attendees during the break, they said that it was exciting to learn about this new program that will help demonstrate outcomes achieved with valid data so that it can be presented with confidence. To learn more about the program, you can review an article that described the concept in the 2008 February/March issue of Case in Point.

From there I moved to the general session where a dream of current President Peter Moran was realized. Peter has been a strong advocate of recognizing the leaders in case management. Peter’s view is that we have many leaders in our midst, and there would be no dearth of suitable speakers. So this year, Sherry Aliotta, a past president of CMSA, was tapped for the second keynote presentation of the conference. Her presentation – Fired Up–Not Burned Out – provided some motivating thoughts about taking better care of ourselves so we can better take care of others. She provided humor, wit and flesh-and-blood examples that all in attendance could use as part of our own personal development plan.

From the general session we moved to the Exhibit Hall for the remainder of the day. Attendees were given this time to explore the hall and visit with the more than 270 vendors. In addition to the vendors, 15 posters were presented. The Poster Presentations has become an annual event and a way for organizations to showcase their research projects and best practices.

As you can imagine, it is a daunting task to see each and every exhibitor. Theories exist on the best strategies. One case manager shared her approach with me. She said that she collects all of the postcards and invitations that she receives in the mail prior to the show and seeks out those vendors first. Others start at one end of the hall and work their way through. Some wander.

Whatever their strategy, most found their way to the Dorland Health booth. It was heartwarming to talk with so many who said that our products and services are making a difference in their practice, that they are important tools used in settings across the continuum as part of their professional development. Each attendee who visited the booth received a T-shirt that said “Case Mangers Care” across the front. The shirts were light pink and a big hit.

Following the exhibit hall, I hit the pool and an evening of catching up with longtime friends.

It is hard to believe that Friday will wrap up another CMSA Conference. It will be a day packed with information. It is also the day when the leadership of CMSA passes the gavel: Peter Moran officially becomes a past president and Jeff Frater moves into the role of President, with Peggy Leonard assuming the role of President-Elect.

On behalf of all of us at Dorland Health, we would like to thank Peter for his year of service as President. He did a great job leading CMSA and advancing the practice. He said he is ready to move to the next level but said it was an experience that he will never forget. In talking to Jeff Frater, he said he is ready for the challenge and looks for your support, your input and your thoughts.

I hope the e-Editorials over the past few days have provided you a virtual glimpse of the 18^th Annual Case Management Society of America show. It was an excellent show and one that provided a great deal of information for attendees to take back to their practices with a renewed spark. I will recap Friday’s events and share with you on Tuesday, June 23, as we resume our normal coverage of Across My Desk.

I would like to thank our editorial staff for their work in making sure you received the daily updates. Great job!

Have a great weekend!

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