Question: Demanding Role of the Care Manager
You are a member of a healthcare company that offers a variety of services designed to provide an integrated approach to lifelong well-being. One of the most effective programs is the case management program where members are assigned a care manager who supports them by phone. The care manager is an experienced RN whose goal is to anticipate the member's needs and problems, encourage preventive care, and prevent costly interventions. Services frequently include:
? Facilitating conference calls between the member, the physician, and the care manager as needed to clarify treatment plans, medication regimens, or other urgent issues
? Monitoring medication adherence
? Assessing the member's daily living activities and cognitive, behavioral, and social abilities
? Assessing the member's risk for falls and providing fall-prevention education
? Connecting members and their families with professionals who can help them address medical, legal, housing, insurance and financial issues facing older adults
? Arranging access to transportation
? Assisting members in obtaining home health and durable medical equipment
? Referring members to meal-delivery programs and advance directive preparation services The role of care manager is a demanding one and, in your company, requires that the worker be on the phone and in front of a computer 100 percent of their work day talking with members, other health professionals, and logging key pieces of information into the computer. The care manager does have the benefits of being able to work at home with flexible work hours-as long as the care manager interacts with 15 members a day between 8 am and 8 pm. Care givers must provide their own computer and office equipment but all Internet connection and phone bills are paid by the company. The turnover rate for care managers is extremely high with few lasting more than 9 months. Many of the care managers cite stress and health issues as reasons for quitting.
Review Questions
1. What sort of health issues would you expect are common among care managers?
2. What immediate measures might be taken to relieve the stress and health issues from which the care managers suffer?
Critical Thinking Questions
1. Management is considering fundamental changes to the role of the care managers, their goals, compensation, and their work environment? Should the care managers be involved in such discussions? What suggestions would you make?
2. Can you identify other jobs that have similar working conditions and issues?