Gleason Represents Case Managers at the White House
Carol A. Gleason, MM, RN, CRRN, CCM, LRC, BCPC, has been an advocate for the importance of Case/Care Management for the last two decades.
“As care coordinators, we can make our job look easy, but our role in assessment, planning, advocacy and utilization management of all health care resources can be quite a juggling act,” said Gleason, who chairs the Public Policy Committee for the 11,000-member Case Management Society of America.
This past year, Gleason led the committee in adopting the Case Management Model Act to assist legislators with the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This educational tool includes three distinct areas notable for Case Management practice: Care Coordination, Case Management and Transitions of Care.
“Our goal with the Case Management Model Act is to educate legislators about the importance of licensed professionals in all of these areas,” Gleason said. “Case managers understand cost savings and utilization management. Our main focus is assisting patients as they move or transition into care outside of our hospital. As our legislators seek to reduce costs, patients will spend less time in a hospital and may have a gap in paying for additional care.”
Gleason’s committee brought the Case Management Model Act to the White House and offered to assist lawmakers as they enact this legislation. They shared their stories, standards of practice and offered ways to help with cost-savings.
“I encourage every nurse and member of the health care team to contact their legislators to let them know of their constituents’ expertise,” she said.