Nurses as Effective Case Managers

A new Advance for Nurses article describes the impact nurses can have as effective case managers.  The task of ensuring seamless, high-quality, cost effective care across the care continuum is daunting one made easier, author Caitlin Nalley notes, by employing evidence-based practices and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Click here to read the article.

Click here to read about INQRI's view on the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Nursing Program Shows Promise for Reducing Deaths from Chronic Illnesses

In a newly published study in this month's PLoS Medicine, Kenneth Coburn and colleagues found that community-based care management reduced deaths of geriatric patients suffering from multiple chronic illnesses by 25%. The intervention included individualized plan comprising education, symptom monitoring, medication counseling for adherence to treatment and monitoring community health and social service referrals.

To read more about the study, click here.

To access the study, click here.

The intervention included an individualized plan comprising education, symptom monitoring, medication counseling for adherence to treatment, help identifying, arranging, and monitoring community health and social service referrals in addition to group interventions such as weight loss maintenance and exercise classes.

Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-nursing-deaths-chronic-illnesses.html#jCp

The intervention included an individualized plan comprising education, symptom monitoring, medication counseling for adherence to treatment, help identifying, arranging, and monitoring community health and social service referrals in addition to group interventions such as weight loss maintenance and exercise classes.

Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-nursing-deaths-chronic-illnesses.html#jCp

The intervention included an individualized plan comprising education, symptom monitoring, medication counseling for adherence to treatment, help identifying, arranging, and monitoring community health and social service referrals in addition to group interventions such as weight loss maintenance and exercise classes.

Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-nursing-deaths-chronic-illnesses.html#jCp

The intervention included an individualized plan comprising education, symptom monitoring, medication counseling for adherence to treatment, help identifying, arranging, and monitoring community health and social service referrals in addition to group interventions such as weight loss maintenance and exercise classes.

Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-nursing-deaths-chronic-illnesses.html#jCp

The intervention included an individualized plan comprising education, symptom monitoring, medication counseling for adherence to treatment, help identifying, arranging, and monitoring community health and social service referrals in addition to group interventions such as weight loss maintenance and exercise classes.

Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-nursing-deaths-chronic-illnesses.html#jCp

The intervention included an individualized plan comprising education, symptom monitoring, medication counseling for adherence to treatment, help identifying, arranging, and monitoring community health and social service referrals in addition to group interventions such as weight loss maintenance and exercise classes.

Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-nursing-deaths-chronic-illnesses.html#jCp

The intervention included an individualized plan comprising education, symptom monitoring, medication counseling for adherence to treatment, help identifying, arranging, and monitoring community health and social service referrals in addition to group interventions such as weight loss maintenance and exercise classes.

Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-nursing-deaths-chronic-illnesses.html#jCp

Pennsylvania's Nursing Homes Are in Crisis

Last week, Jim Hook, senior writer for PublicOpinionOnline.com, discussed in great detail how proposed Medicaid cuts in Pennsylvania will create a financially unsustainable environment for nursing home facilities. The proposed $102 million statewide cut in Medicaid funding would drastically effect the way in which care is delivered both inside and outside of these facilities, potentially resulting in home visits by case coordinators being drastically cut back. Mr. Hook does a fantastic job of covering numerous issues with the latest Medicaid cuts and we strongly encourage you to read the full article.

Click here to read the article.

A Shift From Nursing Homes to Managed Care at Home

Last week, Joseph Berger, reporting for the New York Times, discussed how providers are moving from the traditional nursing home model of care to managed care at home. This new model of care has not only been proven cost effective, but also allows for able-bodied elderly individuals to live independently. Mr. Berger's article highlights the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly(PACE), which provides almost all the services a nursing home would but in an 'day care' setting. This program, in addition to similar home health services, receives bundled payments for each patient they treat rather than relying on the traditional fee-for-service reimbursement model. PACE and similar home-care programs are being heralded as the future model of health care for the aging baby boomer generation.

Click here to read the full article.

Nurse Navigators Help Patients Through Maze of Cancer-Treatment Decisions, Fears

Last week, Laura Landro, of the Wall Street Journal, detailed how nurse navigators can help patients make informed medical decisions and assist them with treatment options, tests and laboratory work and appointment scheduling.

Click here to read Ms. Landro's article.