How Do Case Managers and Navigators Interface?

December 2012 Vol 3, No 6

Nancy Skinner, RN-BC, CCM
Principal Consultant, Riverside HealthCare, Whitwell, Tennessee

Ms Skinner contrasted the AONN+ with the Case Management Society of America (CMSA), including a description of the organizations and how they define the roles of their members. She currently believes that transitional and community-based care is often disorganized and haphazard, with patients shuffled from one postacute environment or provider to another with little advocacy and no established transitional care plan—and absolutely no idea that it should not be that way. Patients are moving from one episode of care to another without a champion to coordinate that care. This prompts a downward trajectory of their health status that can not only prompt readmissions to an acute care facility but also cause physical, emotional, and financial compromise that may interfere with the quality of the patient’s life. Patients are confused, families are in crisis, and the intervention by case managers and navigators, including members of AONN and CMSA, may be the one action that decreases anxiety and prevents negative outcomes.

Ms Skinner pointed out that the Affordable Care Act will have an effect on the practice of navigation and case management and should im­prove the quality and efficiency of care. She described care coordination standards and points of transition of care, which can occur within or between settings as well as across health states, eg, curative to palliative care. Each transition provides an opportunity for care coordination and a point of accountability. She emphasized that patients have to take a greater role in coordinating their care instead of assuming someone else is in charge. She also discussed the significant problem of nonadherence to medication and suggested ways of approaching it, which involve patient education and active participation.

Related Articles
2020 AONN+ Award Winners
January 2021 Vol 12, No 1
Each year, at the AONN+ annual conference, we pause to take note of the navigators and organizations among us who have made a significant impact in the field of oncology navigation. Although virtual, 2020 was no different, and it was with pride that we announced the 2020 class of AONN+ Award recipients. It is the distinct honor of the JONS Editorial Board and the AONN+ Leadership Council to recognize the navigators and organizations in our community who have made considerable contributions to our chosen specialty. This class of awardees includes a stellar group of navigators and organizations, each with their own unique and inspiring stories. Below, we tell their stories in the hope it provides inspiration to you in your professional life as an oncology nurse navigator or a patient navigator.
Preconference Workshops Allow for Additional Learning Opportunities
AONN+ 2020 Conference Highlights Special Feature
Attendees seeking to maximize the educational benefits of the conference took part in 4 preconference workshops, addressing topics including genetics and genomics, financial navigation amid the COVID-19 pandemic, professional development, and motivational interview skills for navigators.
AONN+ Awards Recognize Excellence in Navigation
AONN+ 2020 Conference Highlights Special Feature
Honoring the best in the navigation field, the AONN+ awards are presented each year in various professional categories, also recognizing a patient for outstanding contributions to the cancer community with the CONQUER: the patient voice Hero of Hope Award.
Last modified: August 10, 2023

Subscribe Today!

To sign up for our print publication or e-newsletter, please enter your contact information below.

I'd like to receive:

  • First Name *
    Last Name *
     
     
    Profession or Role
    Primary Specialty or Disease State
    Country