Premier national symposium expected to bring attention to urgent need for a trained case management workforce

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J., March 5, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The urgent need to expand the ranks of well-prepared, knowledgeable case managers is the impetus for the premier national symposium hosted by the Commission for Case Manager Certification. CCMC 2016 New World Symposium, Jan. 21-23, 2016 at Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas, will convene researchers, academic leaders, policymakers, managers and professional case managers in a collaborative effort to address this workforce gap. Because of growing demand for case managers, the Commission wants to identify potential case managers earlier in their careers and encourage professional development.

Case managers frequently come to the profession from careers as nurses, social workers or allied health professionals. Recent research reveals that the percentage of case managers over age 55 more than doubled in less than five years, from 21 percent to 43.6 percent. Just over 1 percent are under age 30.[1] Another study showed hospital case management departments increased full-time workers by 25 percent in just two years.[2] Case managers also fill critical roles for health plans, provider organizations, rehabilitation facilities and workers' compensation firms.

"We are very concerned  about the ability to fulfill workforce demand for qualified case managers," says Sue Jensen, PhD, RN, CCM, MSCC, Symposium Task Force chair and past chair of the Commission. "We believe it's a significant challenge, requiring a unified effort by many organizations to address it. No single organization can meet this challenge alone." The Commission calls for all membership, education and certification organizations that support case management to collaborate to nurture a reliable, well-prepared professional case management workforce.    

As case managers advance as leaders and guides, the Commission recognizes the need to empower them in this role. The Symposium is a forum to promote networking for discussion and dissemination of research related to outcomes and evidence-based practice.

"Case managers play a pivotal role on health care teams to establish community and advance better care, lower costs and healthier patient populations," says Patrice Sminkey, the Commission's CEO. "The Symposium will explore this new terrain and evolving case management practice from the point of view of those training our future workforce, those managing it, and those in the profession. We're working to solve for a new, vibrant cohort of well-prepared, highly skilled case managers."

The CCMC New World Symposium will inspire big-picture thinking, teach skills and processes, and show participants validated pathways to seize opportunities in this terrain. Visionary thinking will characterize keynote and general sessions, while breakout session learning tracks will provide professional growth opportunities for beginners and seasoned professionals.

"The Commission is the voice and advocate for professional case management excellence, through certification and our robust education commitment," Jensen said. "We envision a collaborative Symposium to spur ongoing dialogue while building a community of likeminded advocates looking for solutions--an event that is future-oriented and solution-focused."

To register and learn more about the CCMC 2016 New World Symposium, visit http://symposium.ccmcertification.org.

About the Commission for Case Manager Certification 
The Commission for Case Manager Certification (the Commission) is the first and largest nationally accredited organization that certifies more than 37,000 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 the Commission on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @CCM_Cert.    

[1] 2009 and 2014 Commission for Case Manager Certification Role and Function studies.
[2] Cunningham, L. Greg "Preparing for the Future of Hospital-Based Case Management," 2015 Case In Point Salary & Trends Special Report

SOURCE Commission for Case Manager Certification

Related Links

http://www.ccmcertification.org