DorlandHealth

To explore recent and potential changes to the practice, we consulted with Garry Carneal, JD, MA, the president and CEO of Schooner Healthcare Services, LLC, to talk about the impact of social networking and wireless communication on case management. Garry is also co-chair of the steering committee at the Population Health Impact Institute.

Case In Point: How are advances in technology changing the landscape of case management and what technology specifically is leading the way?

Garry Carneal: According to several reputable resources, more than 2.5 billion text messages will be sent today in the United States. Texting has now become the most prolific form of mobile communication in the United States, overtaking cell phone calls. Howard Rosen, the founder and CEO of Life:WIRE, which is an interactive health management solution that uses text messaging and email, recently noted that “text messaging is taking off not only for younger Americans, but over half of all Americans who send and receive text messages today are 35 years and older.”

This is a unique development. And now dozens of text messaging platforms for health care are being offered in the market, running on everything from smart phones to basic cell phones, to improve communication channels, increase efficiencies and better engage individuals to achieve better health outcomes, according to Rosen.

We pose a series of questions to Kathy Craig, MS, RN, CCM, president of Craig Research Continuum, to learn about the growing set of tools surrounding caseload issues, including the latest on acuity methodology. Ms. Craig, who serves on NCMN (Canada) Board, PCM Editorial Board, and CMSA’s Caseload Work Group, can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Q: As someone involved on the frontlines of tackling the caseload quandary, what are the most important issues that need to be addressed and steps that need to be taken?

A: What frontline case managers ask me to solve is bringing equity to case management caseloads quickly, fairly and dependably. Supervisors and business leaders ask for a method that is objective, reportable as data, and reproducible in a way that confirms validity.

In this edition of Ask the Expert, we consult with Rosalind Joffe, the founder and president of cicoach.com, a career coaching firm dedicated to helping professionals with chronic illness, to inquire about chronic illness, return to work, and the role of professional advocates. Ms. Joffe can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Q: I am a case manager who works with patients with chronic disease. More times that not, my patients want to work, but the employer is leery about bringing them back after a prolonged time out of work. As a career coach for patients with chronic conditions, what advice would you provide to the patient as well as to the employer?

A: This question highlights a critical challenge many workers with chronic illness face when returning to work. An employer’s reluctance regarding an employee’s return to work after a prolonged absence can set the stage for failure.

That is why it is helpful if a case manager “steps into a manager’s shoes” to understand why this might happen. With this knowledge, you are better prepared to help your patients address these concerns successfully.