Commission for Case Manager Certification survey: Board-certified case managers report strong salaries, employer support for credential

Annual survey of more than 5,000 highest achieving case managers demonstrates value of board certification

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J., Feb. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As both houses of Congress introduce legislation to support coordinated, team-based Medicare services for the chronically ill, a new survey of board-certified case managers--who are often tasked with providing those services--offers key insight into their professional lives. The annual Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC®)  web survey obtained responses from more than 5,000 board-certified case managers[1] and sheds light on education and specialty training, salaries, use of technology and support for board certification among the nation's highest achieving case managers.

Case managers are active players on care teams that manage care transitions, coordinate services among multiple providers, and identify needed behavioral health and community services for the most complex patients. The largest proportion responding to CCMC's annual survey work in hospitals; most others work in worker's compensation, health plan and health management organizations.

The Commission is the nation's oldest and largest nationally accredited organization that certifies case managers. The findings from CCMC's annual survey are shared with health care leaders, employers and policymakers through the CMCoordinates™ education campaign, featuring "fast facts" about board-certified case managers. CMCoordinates illustrate expanding opportunities for professional case managers; they are rolled out monthly and can be viewed at http://ccmcertification.org/cmcoordinates. 

For the first time, the survey queried board-certified case managers about salaries. With a median salary range of $70,000-$75,000, and one in three responding case managers reporting salaries above $80,000, board-certified case managers earned more than the median salary range for their counterparts in nursing or social work; 41 percent of executives reported earnings above $100,000. Ninety percent of responding board-certified case managers are registered nurses by training, and five percent are social workers.

"While traditionally most board-certified case managers are registered nurses, the Commission has pointedly moved to embrace and encourage all allied health professionals--such as social workers and pharmacists--to seek this practice-based certification as a validation of important knowledge and expertise," said Patrice Sminkey, the Commission's CEO. "Our survey points strongly to an endorsement of certification among employers and the industry--an endorsement that represents a critical point in health care of embracing and demonstrating interdisciplinary health care teams."

Board certification validates a high level of expertise and is often weighed as a benchmark requirement for case managers seeking leadership roles and career advancement. The survey found that 47 percent of employers require case managers to be certified, and 61 percent pay for the exam. Among those surveyed, 93 percent said they have recommended board certification to a colleague or friend.

Although lowering costs is a concern, more than 70 percent of survey respondents said assuring high quality care is an important role they play; empowering clients and coordinating care round out the top three responses. Fewer than 15 percent ranked roles relating to the economics of health care as most important.   

About the Commission for Case Manager Certification
The Commission for Case Manager Certification is the first and largest nationally accredited organization that certifies more than 35,000 professional case managers. The Commission is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that oversees the process of case manager certification with its CCM^® credential. The Commission is positioned as the most active and prestigious certification organization supporting the practice of case management. For more information, visit www.ccmcertification.org, connect with CCMC on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @CCM_Cert.

[1]An invitation to take the survey was sent to approximately 35,000 certified case managers.  The 18 percent response rate was approximately the same as in 2012.

SOURCE Commission for Case Manager Certification