New URAC workshop, issue brief explore role of case managers and pharmacists on the health care team

Oct. 11 care coordination workshop is designed for primary care teams working in medical home, ACOs

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The remodeling of U.S. health care into a more patient-centered system is well underway, emphasizing the value of multi-disciplinary teams to coordinate patient care—especially during transitions between care providers. One team member with the potential to make significant positive impact is the case manager; another is the clinical pharmacist via comprehensive medication management.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100422/URACLOGO)

A new workshop offered by URAC, a leading health care accreditation, education, and measurement organization, will explore the integration of care managers and the role of other members of the team in the patient-centered health care home (PCHCH) and accountable care organizations (ACOs). The workshop will be held Thursday, Oct. 11, in San Francisco. URAC also released a new issue brief today that explores the role of the pharmacist on the team, "Medication experts in our midst: Comprehensive medication management and the changing role of the community pharmacist."

"Health reform and a number of multi-market demonstration projects have moved ACOs and the PCHCH to the forefront as the leading vehicles for delivering more efficient, effective and safe care," said Alan P. Spielman, URAC president and CEO. "Care coordination is a primary success factor at the heart of these new models, and the health care team will be aggressively tested in the coming months for its ability to coordinate and plan for care during transitions between settings."

The workshop, "Medical Home: High performance medical home teams exploring care coordination and transitions of care in the patient-centered health care home, medical neighborhood and ACO models workshop," will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. PDT immediately following URAC's 2012 Quality Summit at the Parc 55 Wyndham Union Square Hotel.It is designed to help case managers and members of the primary care team—including physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, office personnel and coaches—understand the vital role they will play in new care models that are changing health care delivery in the U.S. More information about the workshop, including registration details, can be found here.

The workshop is sponsored by the Commission for Case Manager Certification and moderated by Patrice Sminkey, the Commission's chief executive officer. It features a panel of case management thought leaders:

• Cheri Lattimer, RN, BSN, executive director, Case Manager Society of America and National Transitions of Care Coalition:
• Carrie Nelson, MD, medical director for special projects, Advocate Physician Partners;
• Mary Beth Newman, MSN, RN-BS, CMAC, CCP, Anthem; and
• Margaret Moore, CEO, Wellcoaches Corporation and co-director, Institute of Coaching.

"Many patients with complex conditions need an advocate to help them navigate a host of medical providers, as well as to coordinate the financial, social and emotional challenges that come with the territory," Sminkey said. "Care coordination is the lynchpin that bridges gaps in care that typically occur during transitions. Professional case managers are critical members of the team in new models of care, working to help close these gaps and work collaboratively to advocate, communicate and manage resource for higher quality, cost-effective care."

The issue brief explores the unprecedented opportunity for pharmacists to advance their roles as medication experts, patient educators and critical members of the care team in this changing health care environment. It features research and data from comprehensive case management case studies, as well as the expertise of Terry McInnis, MD, MPH, FACOEM, president of Blue Thorn, Inc. McInnis, who is also former co-chair of the Center for Public Payer Implementation and co-leader of the Medication Management Taskforce for the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC), offers a 10-step outline of comprehensive medication management. To download the issue brief, click here.

About URAC

URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, promotes health care quality through its accreditation, education and measurement programs. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services that keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system and provides a symbol of excellence for organizations to validate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in establishing meaningful quality measures for the entire health care industry. For more information, call (202) 326-3943, or visit www.urac.org and our Twitter and LinkedIn sites.

SOURCE URAC