2. 02
03 innovative staffing solutions assist
facilties and candidates in an emerging field
George Klimis gives us an overview of the rising need for
CM professionals and how they are taking a leading role in
improving quality of care, as well as the bottom-line in U.S.
healthcare facilities. He outlines the reasons for growth in this
niche, the disparity between supply and demand of qualified
candidates, and how MedPartners is being tapped by hospitals
to help close that gap.
04 Patient Care Programs Improve Quality of
Care and Your Bottom Line
A brief on how hospitals can improve their quality of care,
manage fiscal health, and maximize resource efficiency using
case management professionals. This article takes us further
into how case management professionals add value to facilities
and practices, as dedicated coordinators in patient care of
documented Patient Care Programs.
05 Did You Know?
Tips, tricks, and other useful information. Just for fun.
06 2015 Florida ACMA Conference Recap
Highlights from the recent ACMA Conference held in Orlando,
FL including opportunities for MedPartners to grow their
footprint in Florida, insights into emerging needs of healthcare
facilities, and catching up with some of our current partners in
person.
06 External Links
News, updates, and trends about the U.S. healthcare
community from trusted third-party resources. Also in this
section, is a calendar of important dates for healthcare and
case management professionals.
CONTENTS MEDPARTNERS CASE MANAGEMENT NEWSLETTER
3. 03
D
emand for experienced, quality case managers is
rising, and MedPartners is working diligently to
solve this two-sided equation between care pro-
viders and professionals. Traditionally, medical staffing
companies have worked with hospitals to fill interim po-
sitions in medical administration and coding roles. How-
ever, recent developments are showing a need for qual-
ified case management professionals, and that demand
is only expected to grow. These passionate individuals
have a unique footprint in the growing range of medical
careers. Not only are they improving quality of care at
medical facilities, but they are sharing specialized knowl-
edge and experiences with others, fostering greater im-
provements in patient care nationwide.
The healthcare landscape is rapidly chang-
ing, putting acute care case managers in a
noteworthy and valuable position. Innova-
tive CFOs, case management directors, and
other hospital executives are being forced
to respond to these shifts. One thing is
becoming clear, case managers are now
a key component to every hospital’s fiscal
well-being.
Leaders in the healthcare and staffing industry must now
focus on quality improvement, while working to reduce
the skyrocketing healthcare costs. To make this dream
a reality, patients will need guidance to understand their
varying conditions, the tools available to treat them, and
how to avoid repeat visits. This is where the case man-
agement role comes into play, making it a top priority for
decision makers.
Unfortunately, the supply of qualified and proven candi-
dates is well short of the current demand. Because of this,
MedPartners is being tapped by their hospital and facility
partners to dive deeper to provide qualified profession-
als to fill these needs. In the past, staffing firms generally
focused solely on providing services for floor nursing and
direct patient care, avoiding investments into specialists
like case managers. MedPartners is responding by creat-
ing unique divisions comprised of professional recruiters
and account managers trained on these specialty posi-
tions, including clinical documentation specialists and
HIM coding experts.
Successfully serving this niche requires firms to assist
both facilities and potential employees. The leadership
and dedicated support teams at MedPartners do just
that, separating from the pack with a proprietary service
model. First, the focus is on networking and identifying
professionals that are not only great at their job, but love
doing it, then recruiting them for open positions and in-
viting them to join “The Movement”. The
next key component is a shift from “con-
tract hires” that lack guarantees, to full-
time employees with benefits and other
incentives. Finally, they are investing in
education, for their employees and part-
ners. Through the MedPartners Universi-
ty, consultants are immediately plugged
into think tanks, keeping pace on the latest trends, new
ideas and emerging policies. The University allows for
increased networking opportunities, resulting in vested
case managers sharing innovative ideas and solutions
with hospitals around the U.S.
MedPartners is certainly shifting the way hospital staffing
does business; supplying case management and other
specialized support professionals when they are need-
ed most. Clients know they can rely on MedPartners to
quickly fill requests with top industry professionals. Can-
didates can trust they are getting top dollar based on
their skills and experience, along with access to continu-
ing education within their field.
Innovative Staffing Solutions Assist Facilities and Candidates
In An Emerging Field,
an overview from the Vice President of Case Management, George Klimis
“MedPartners is
certainly shifting the
way hospital staffing
does business”
4. 04
Patient Care Programs
Improve Quality of Care and
Your Bottom Line
C
ase management is defined as a collaborative prac-
tice to facilitate care along a continuum through
effective resource coordination, according to the
ACMA. Simply put, it’s a patient-centered process to en-
sure a clinical team is providing proper treatment to each
patient on-time, every-time. Therefore, a top goal for case
managers is to utilize resources in the most effective, ef-
ficient way possible; while improving patient outcomes
and reducing costs of care.
One way case managers are achieving this goal is
through strategic implementation of patient care pro-
grams tailored to individual needs. Case managers are
then charged with coordinating all the essential functions
needed to successfully execute these plans including clin-
ical team coordination, patient education, staff training,
coding, and post-discharge communication. Hospitals
with proper patient care programs run by qualified case
managers are now proving that this investment is worth-
while. Their success shows these programs lead to im-
provements in quality of care, patient outcomes, and the
overall bottom-line.
Improving Quality of Care
Today’s shifting healthcare landscape and regulatory
environment is forcing the industry to adjust to a pa-
tient-centered approach in treatment programs. This is
great news for patients, but until recently made decision
making and coordination difficult for healthcare teams.
continued on the next page...
5. 05
With growing demands for case managers to implement effective patient care
programs, positive results are beginning to emerge. Measurable improve-
ments in continuity of care and health care provider collaboration are leading
to much higher rates in patient success outcomes and quality of care reviews.
Some of the solutions patient care programs include are:
• Foster a better patient experience
• Diminish staff burnout
• Improve discharge planning
• Better care coordination and transition of care post-discharge
• Increased education and information exchange for patients and fami-
lies
• Improvements in medication and treatment adherence
• Greater collaboration and communication across clinical teams and
other providers of care
Proving ROI
Rising costs and economic constraints on the healthcare system as a whole
are another hurdle these recent shifts have created. This makes cost efficient
care a primary driver for decision makers in the industry. Improving overall
outcomes and lowering the cost per case of clinical care is now a top priority
for CFO’s to maintain overall fiscal stability. With the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act in full swing, healthcare systems are being forced to be-
come increasingly accountable when providing care. Additionally, CMS regu-
lations by state has the potential to create thousands of dollars in lost claims
if treatment programs are not deemed medically necessary. Case managers
and proper patient care programs can benefit executives and fiscal health as
well. Below are a few benefits we have seen so far:
• Maximized use of available hospital resources
• Reduce avoidable delays and gaps in care
• Cut readmission rates and lower re-admission penalties
• Promotion of safe and cost-effective care
• Improved claims management by assisting with appeals/denials
• Manage 2014 IPPS Final Rule
For published results on actual patient care programs, see this report from
The Commonwealth Fund.
Did You Know?
D
o you love free vacations?
Did you know that RN Case
Manager Tracy, from Ala-
bama has saved over 600,000 Hy-
att Rewards points since traveling
with MedPartners over the past
year? Tracy has enjoyed several
“free” vacation stays throughout
the year and is enjoying all of her
free upgrades with the points she
has earned!
6. 06
2015 Florida ACMA
Conference Recap
T
his year’s ACMA Conference in Florida was the larg-
est in their history. The conference proved to be
a great opportunity to expand the MedPartners
footprint throughout Florida, as we were able to educate
leaders within the healthcare industry about our niche.
Another first this year was having our very own case man-
ager at the booth, which allowed us to give other case
managers and social workers an opportunity to learn
more about being a travel CM/SW and a MedPartner first-
hand. With “season” fast approaching for many Florida
hospitals, the timing proved invaluable. MedPartners was
able to display a strong presence and add value to those
Case Management Department leaders. Many of them
are struggling to fill demands, especially as winter case-
loads show no sign of slowing down. On a final note, we
had the pleasure of catching up with our current client’s
in-person and answering questions for many others in-
terested in partnering with us in the future.
Testimonials
“I have been a travel RN Case Manager with
MedPartners for over a year and it has been an
enjoyable experience. This company has great
recruiters, like Adam Telischak, who is always
there making sure your experience is positive.
He really cares about you as person. This com-
pany supports your professional goals by of-
fering online educational opportunities and as
a bonus you get to meet new lifetime friends. I
look forward to working with MedPartners for-
ward to many years.”
-Sheila F. from Georgia.
It is very difficult to describe the typical day of
a case management consultant. But the typ-
ical day of an effective case manager is ever
changing. Such as the colors of a chameleon.
Each environment you work in may have
unique needs you will need to fill. The com-
munity itself can be unique and have special
expectations of your role. Every assignment
can be different but you will need to be profi-
cient in computer skills, utilization review, time
management and professionalism. But there
are always adaptions in each environment you
may encounter. You must be able to prioritize
and adapt quickly. As a consultant you are ex-
pected to blend with the environment as you
are learning it. It may be challenging at times
but you just breathe and follow your instinct
that has gotten you to where you are in your
career. Set a good example for the regular
staff at the hospital. Just blend in and set a
good example. You will always be working
with a diversified group of people. Use your
strengths and allow others to use theirs. And
remember to always just keep smiling.
-Tracy P. from Alabama
External Links
In The News
ICD-10 Pitfalls – Prepare For Them
2016 OPS Proposed Rule Updates Two-Midnight Rule
Important Dates
August, September, October, November
www.medpartners.com
866.727.4461
