For individuals navigating the complexities of the healthcare system, nurses serve as the backbone, seamlessly bridging gaps and delivering essential care. As one of the most trusted professions worldwide, nurses have the ability to prioritize patients and their families while delivering a holistic approach to care. “Nurses are instrumental in sustaining healthcare for the entire world right now,” says nurse and Clinical Case Manager at UT Physicians Giane Logan, BSN, CMM.
Nurses who excel in managing the intricacies of healthcare in a variety of settings, may have the opportunity to become Case Managers, serving as a vital liaison for their patients. Case Managers function as the primary resource of all the moving pieces in a patient’s journey from treatment to wellness and recovery.
“We have the ability to put the patient in the center, fostering collaboration and enhancing healthcare resource utilization to promote patient satisfaction,” says Case Manager Angela Ross, BSN, RN, CM-C. Cheryle DeMaria, MSN, BSN, RN, CMM, manager of clinical case management, agrees. “We are always meeting the patient wherever they are on their healthcare journey to ensure they are meeting their goals,” DeMaria says.
Unveiling the Vital Role of Nurses and Case Managers as Patient Advocates in Healthcare
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I get to be present to see the final product. To see the positive outcome. And to establish that long trusting relationship with them.
By consistently placing the patient at the forefront of their efforts, Ross says that they are able to work alongside every member of the care team to provide the best outcomes for their patients. “The three big words are facilitate, coordinate, and collaborate,” Ross sums up succinctly. Giane Logan elaborates. “A Case Manager is a patient advocate that touches all areas of society – government, physicians, insurance, community, vendors, and patient families,” she says. Whatever obstacles arise – from insurance to transportation to medication access to vendor issues, and more – Case Managers are there to help patients and their families get what they need.
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Uniquely, case managers get to follow a patient’s journey long after the treatment is delivered, monitoring and following up to see how they are progressing. For DeMaria, this ability to travel with the patient as they get better is the most fulfilling part of her job. “We frequently see highly complex patients. They are at their most vulnerable when they initially engage with us, but through our work, we get to help them transition safely through multiple phases of their healthcare journey toward wellness,” she says. Often, it’s the seemingly small things, like helping a patient secure transportation to a medical appointment or providing them with access to healthy food sources, that truly stays with DeMaria.
Houston Methodist Cypress is poised to shake up healthcare once again with its vision of the Smart Hospital of the future. Building upon the technological advancements already in use across sister hospitals, the new Cypress location is paving the way for a digitally engaged patient experience, both inpatient and outpatient.
Central to this vision are the innovative “smart patient rooms,” meticulously designed to feature centralized screens for entertainment, education, and communication boards, fostering a sense of connectivity for every patient. By combining the physical and digital elements of healthcare into every aspect of patient care, this “Smart Hospital” in Cypress is definitely setting a new bar for the industry.
Recognizing the importance of getting staff fully onboard with these advancements, their latest hospital is proactively developing playbooks for onboarding all their frontline and administrative workers. These resources will facilitate the integration of new technologies into workflows, ensuring that both patients and staff can fully harness the benefits of the Smart Hospital concept when introduced early next year.
By StoryStudio on April 29, 2024
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- Giane Logan, Nurse and Clinical Case Manager at UT Physicians
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I get to be present to see the final product. To see the positive outcome. And to establish that long trusting relationship with them.
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Additionally, education plays a large role in the care that Case Managers provide their patients, giving them the tools to live stronger, healthier lives. Case Managers may educate patients on the disease process or how to manage their condition long after they leave the hospital. “We’re helping them navigate this fragmented healthcare system. The ultimate goal is for patients to be the ambassadors for their own health,” says Ross. Logan even notes that it was nurses, through education and advocacy, who helped implement skin-to-skin contact initiatives in maternity wards to encourage bonding between parents and newborns.
Case Managers get the opportunity to touch so many facets of caregiving, beyond typical bedside nursing. Because of their comprehensive immersion into the patient’s holistic journey, Case Managers may be critical in driving the ultimate results. “Manager is the big word in Case Manager,” says Logan. “You must have the knowledge to see the big picture. In some settings, the Case Manager is the driver of the outcome.”
Angela Ross, Cheryle DeMaria, and Giane Logan
Clinical Case Managers at UT Physicians
Logan likewise enjoys this longer relationship with a patient. “I get to be present to see the final product. To see the positive outcome. And to establish that long trusting relationship with them,” she says. For Ross, there is nothing quite like making a difference in a patient’s life every day. “I had a patient this week say, ‘You have made this one hundred times better for me. You’re becoming my best friend.’ Those are the things we hear daily,” Ross says.
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If you are interested in making a difference every day by pursuing a degree in nursing, the university is home to the Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston. Review degree options here. For nurses interested in career opportunities, there are immediate openings at UTHealth Houston. Apply here.
Case Managers get the opportunity to touch so many facets of caregiving, beyond typical bedside nursing. Because of their comprehensive immersion into the patient’s holistic journey, Case Managers may be critical in driving the ultimate results. “Manager is the big word in Case Manager,” says Logan. “You must have the knowledge to see the big picture. In some settings, the Case Manager is the driver of the outcome.”