In healthcare, care management refers to a patient-focused, collaborative treatment methodology. The term is loosely defined and applied to different scenarios, but it usually refers to a suite of services to treat patients with chronic health conditions.
The Essentials of Care Management
The goal of care management is to coordinate and manage a patient's care so that they receive appropriate care in a timely fashion. As care management is often used to treat patients with complex or chronic conditions, it may involve multiple healthcare providers. The coordination of care among multiple providers highlights the collaborative nature of care management.
With care management, patients should see enhanced coordination between providers and no duplication of services. By focusing on the correct care, administered by the correct provider at the right time, patients should see improved health and reduced hospital stays.
Care Management vs. Case Management
The term care management is sometimes used interchangeably with case management. Although there is some overlap between the two, care management and case management are two distinct approaches.
Case management is focused on one specific instance of treatment, while care management takes a holistic view of the patient's care needs. As such, case management plans are short-term and specific to current needs. Care management has components of ongoing health support, while case management typically ends after a shorter period.
Care Management with Healthcare IT Systems
The care management approach is particularly suited to modern treatment, based on healthcare IT systems. Electronic systems make it easier to coordinate patient care across multiple providers and share patient data. They also help care managers view and update integrated care plans that allow for better follow-up care with patients
High-quality care management can lead to better health outcomes at a cost savings. Therefore, government health organizations like CMS have been promoting care management and the use of electronic health record (EHR) systems for some time.
How TempDev Can Help with Care Management
TempDev's team of NextGen consultants, developers, and trainers can help you implement, switch, or even upgrade your current EHR system. From dashboards, templates, and reports to revenue cycle consulting, automation, and workflow redesign, TempDev offers the tools you need to make the most of your NextGen EHR system.
Contact us here or call us at 888.TEMP.DEV to get the help you need working with electronic health record systems and care management.
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