business

BY DEB HOUSE LMSW, CCM, AND ASHLEY ZAPP, LCSW As case managers, we spend considerable time working within various points of the healthcare delivery system with patients who are considered “unfriended” or “isolated.” These patients are by far one of the most vulnerable patient populations we serve. The “unfriended” or “isolated” population all have one …

An Innovative Solution to Helping Isolated Patients Avoid Guardianship Read More »

BY KELVA EDMUNDS-WALLER, DNP, RN, CCM “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.” Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As a Black woman and healthcare professional, I struggle with words like stigma used in the same sentence as Blacks, minorities and mental health. When I read …

Mental Health Disparities Among Blacks in the United States: Shared Culpability and Responsibility to Remove the Stigma Read More »

BY ELLEN FINK-SAMNICK, DBH, MSW, LCSW, ACSW, CCM, CCTP, CRP Case managers are the stewards of resource management in their organizations. They monitor the moving parts of healthcare utilization from admission and readmissions, to the intensity of services utilized, severity of illness, and recurrent presenting needs. This level of responsibility means that case managers are …

The Social Determinants of Mental Health: Case Management’s Latest Mandate Read More »

BY ERIN GILFENBAUM While career burnout among healthcare workers is not a new concept, nurses were faced with extraordinary new challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the healthcare professionals who coordinate patient care, nurse case managers encountered a sharp increase in patients and more complex cases, while navigating ever-changing protocols and fewer resources in …

Addressing Nurse Burnout with Stress First Aid Read More »

BY SUSAN PLOUGH MSN, RN, PHCNS-BC, CCM, AND MINDY OWEN RN, CRRN, CCM, FCM It is no secret that the pandemic affected many aspects of our lives, not only from a physical perspective but also in terms of how we view mental health. In the past, mental health issues have seemingly taken a back seat …

Mental Health Is as Important as Physical Health Read More »

BY MELANIE A. PRINCE, RN, BSN, MSN, NE-BC, CCM, FCM, FAAN It has been an honor to contribute to the CMSA Today President’s Column as president (2020 – 2022) and immediate past president (2022 – 2023). This issue focuses on the topic of behavioral and mental health, and my message is one of deep personal …

Minding My Mental Health Business Read More »