Case managers are learning to "speak IT." As the traditional hub of information shared by all healthcare team members, case managers already act as gatekeepers and facilitators of communication and coordination. Now, as clinical teams turn to health IT for solutions to improve efficiency and quality, case managers will likely be the center of these discussions as solutions are devised, weighed, and implemented.
Immersion in technology may be a stretch for some case managers who need to increase their knowledge of using electronic devices such as PDAs and Blackberries or how electronic health records (EHR) and improve care coordination. Being able to see what the entire health team is doing through EHRs could significantly minimize the number of phone calls, faxes, and reports needed among various members of the healthcare team, and streamline communication.
Case managers need to understand how access to real-time information, including test results, will expedite decision making. Increased efficiency is imperative given the likelihood that, under healthcare reform and expansion of coverage, case managers could see increased case loads in the future.
As health systems explore more IT solutions, case managers must be able to communicate their technology needs, make recommendations, and demonstrate the return on investment (ROI) for implementing their recommended solution.
As healthcare IT solutions are explored, case managers will identify the healthcare team's system needs. This will ensure that a single solution will meet all users' needs. In this way, technology can help close gaps in communication and eliminate the fragmentation that creates inefficiency in the care and treatment of patients in the system.
Felizitas Devine, RN, MS, MBA, CCM is a Commissioner for the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC), the oldest and largest nationally accredited organization that certifies case managers (www.ccmcertification.org). She is also a consultant with Healthcare Technology Management Services (HTMS, an Emdeon company). Contact her at fdevine@htms.com
