Case Manager (RN) - Case Management & Social Work

Overview

At Houston Methodist, the Case Manager (CM) position is a registered nurse (RN) responsible for comprehensively planning for case management, which includes care transitions and discharge planning of a targeted patient population on a designated unit(s) and/or service lines. This position works with the physicians and interprofessional health care team to facilitate and maintain compassionate, efficient, quality care and achievement of desired treatment outcomes. The CM position holds joint accountability with the social worker for discharge planning and continuity of care and assures that admission and continued stay are medically necessary, communicating clinical information to payors to ensure reimbursement.

Houston Methodist Standard

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVEDRefer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

Responsibilities

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Communicates in an active, positive and effective manner to all health care team members and reports pertinent patient care and family data in a comprehensive and unbiased manner; listens and responds to the ideas of others.

• Collaborates with staff from the interprofessional health care team concerning safety data to improve outcomes and the safe transition of care. Uses a structured format for regular communication with patients and families.

• Conducts self in a manner that is congruent with cultural diversity, equity and inclusion principles. Contributes towards improvement of department scores for employee engagement, i.e. peer-to-peer accountability.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assesses all patients timely and thoroughly. Participates in daily Care Coordination Rounds (CCR), and identifies, communicates barriers to efficient patient throughput. Supports patients and families in preventing/resolving clinical or ethical issues.

• Facilitates discharge planning activities for assigned patients and collaborates with the social worker and other members of the interprofessional health care team, as well as patient and family, on complex discharges. Maintains ownership of the discharge planning process on assigned units.

• Initiates and facilitates referrals for home health care, hospice, and durable medical equipment. Consults with Social Worker Case Manager to assess psychosocial needs associated with transition to alternative levels of care, ensuring discharge disposition is to the appropriate level. Facilitates transfers.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Modifies care based on continuous evaluation of the patient's condition, demonstrates clinical problem-solving and critical thinking, and makes decisions using evidence-based analytical approach. Documents accurate assessment and interventions efficiently and effectively.

• Plans for routine discharge and elevates emergent situations. Manages usual patient assignment and other unit demands and anticipates/plans for potential problems.

• Focuses on discharge domain by contributing to department and hospital targets for quality, patient satisfaction and safety measures.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

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