Case Management Patient Communication Toolkit
Janet L. Blondo, LCSW-C, MSW, CMAC, ACM, CCM, C-ASWCM, ACSW
Toolkit contains 5 handbooks and 5 pocket cards.
The information the case manager communicates to the patient, family/caregiver, hospital team, and postacute care providers is paramount to getting the patient the right care in the right place at the right time and potentially avoiding a readmission. Communication is essential to the role of case management, yet crafting a universal message that both the patient and the case manager understand is a challenge for many hospitals.
The Case Management Patient Communication Toolkit helps ensure case managers are delivering that universal message. It covers a variety of topics, including the following:
- Beginning a discharge plan early and collaborating with the care team, patient, and family/caregiver to determine the right care, the appropriate setting for receiving care, and the appropriate time to move to that care setting
- Selecting criteria for screening and assessing patients, which can influence staffing mix and budgets
- Explaining patient status and notices to patients and families, with particular emphasis on the changes brought on by the NOTICE Act
- Evaluating a patient's capacity and communicating with the correct decision-maker when the patient lacks capacity
The toolkit is portable enough for case managers to use daily, and the included pocket card can easily be referenced while interacting with patients and families/caregivers. The pocket card offers guidance on how to appropriately communicate with patients so they understand their care and treatment.
The handbook provides more detailed information about the topics on the pocket card, including information about asking questions to identify risk factors for an adverse event and planning for discharge when the patient is returning home. It also offers further detail about the timing and language of notices as well as guidance about what to do when patients refuse to sign them.
Who should read this book?- Case managers
- Case management professionals
- Utilization review professionals
- Utilization review committee members
- Care coordinators
- Registered nurses
About the Author: Janet L. Blondo, LCSW-C, MSW, CMAC, ACM, CCM, C-ASWCM, ACSW, is the manager of case management at Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park, Maryland, where she works alongside nurse and social work case managers. Her career in case management and social work has included a wide range of experiences. She has held positions as director, assistant director, manager, and supervisor of case management; social work manager; clinical supervisor; emergency department case manager; medical social worker; and social work consultant.
A member of the American Case Management Association (ACMA), Blondo has served on the Board of the Maryland Chapter of ACMA, planning educational programs for its members. Her interests in advocacy and public policy were strengthened by joining other ACMA members on Capitol Hill to urge Congressional support for issues benefitting senior citizens. She has also testified before the Maryland General Assembly to successfully change a state law on a health issue that she brought to the attention of her state delegate. She serves as the Membership Chair of the Maryland ACMA.
