Medical Case Management: Enhancing Care for Cancer Patients

In the world of modern medicine, where progress and innovation dictate new standards, the medical case manager plays an important role in organizing and coordinating patients' treatment and care. 

Medical case manager provides a comprehensive and personalized approach to treatment, bringing together medical expertise and patient care. In this article, we'll dive deeper into the world of medical case management so you can understand who a case manager is, why you need one, and how he/she can help you if you're facing a cancer diagnosis.

Who is a medical case manager? 

A medical case manager is a professional who helps patients and their families navigate the healthcare system and medical knowledge. A case manager's main job is to make sure that the examination, treatment, and care provided to patients with complex medical cases and chronic illnesses go smoothly, consistently, and without problems.

Case managers work as intermediaries between patients, health care providers, and, if necessary, insurance companies to help patients obtain needed health care services, comply with physician recommendations, and resolve conflicts or difficulties that may arise during treatment. 

These professionals may work with patients themselves or with their families, with the patients' consent. Case managers have a medical background, good knowledge of medicine and healthcare, and excellent communication skills, which enables them to be good helpers even in the most difficult cases.  

What does a case manager do?

Coordinating patient care and treatment

A case manager works to organize and coordinate medical care for patients. This includes thoroughly reviewing the patient's medical and social problems, planning appropriate and recommended examinations and therapeutic procedures, organizing consultations with specialists, creating an individual treatment and monitoring plan for the patient, and helping to implement this plan. 

In order for a case manager's work to be most effective, he or she must have access to all patient data, including the patient's diagnosis, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed, and medical specialists' evaluations. In addition, a case manager is in constant contact with the patient him/herself, "keeping a finger on the pulse" of his/her condition and symptoms, which allows the specialist to be constantly aware of what is happening and the patient to feel supported and involved. 

Liaising with health care providers, benevolent funds and patient support organizations

A case manager, if necessary, can liaise with various medical institutions and insurance companies to settle financial and organizational issues related to the patient's examinations, treatment and care. 

A case manager can help with organizing consultations and examinations for the patient. If the specialist is not able to directly book the patient for consultations or examinations, he or she can help the patient with recommendations on how to do this him/herself. 

A case manager can also organize telemedicine remote consultations for patients, which provide an opportunity to get a second expert opinion in controversial or complex cases. 

Assistance in understanding medical recommendations

A case manager helps patients understand their illness, why it develops and how to treat it. The specialist can explain complex concepts and terms in simple words, giving the patient a better understanding of their medical problem.

A case manager will help the patient follow medical recommendations, explain the course of prescribed procedures, and talk about the medications and treatment regimens prescribed to the patient.

A case manager, unlike a doctor in the hospital, is not limited by time, so he/she can pay enough attention to the patient and explain everything that is not clear to him/her. Sufficient understanding of a problem is a big step towards solving it. 

Help with problem solving and conflict resolution

A case manager can help a patient to understand a difficult, controversial or conflicting situation that has arisen in the course of his/her examination or treatment, as well as recommend possible solutions. A case manager may not always be able to interact directly with the parties to the conflict, but he/she will know what laws, rules and protocols the patient can refer to when asserting his/her rights. 

Treatment monitoring and evaluation

Because a case manager has access to all of the patient's continuously updated data, he/she can evaluate and track the effectiveness of the treatment the patient is receiving. Based on this evaluation, a case manager can recommend additional consultations with specialists to adjust the treatment plan, if necessary, as well as organize additional examinations for the patient according to the latest standards. 

Social and psychological support

A case manager can help patients and their families get the social support they need by directing them to resources and services that may be helpful in improving their quality of life and organizing quality care. A case manager can provide patients with information about organizations that help people with a particular illness, how they can access benefits, where they can get rehabilitation or palliative care, how they can get help at home, where and how they can get the devices, prosthetics and medical products they need. In addition, the case manager can help with organizing psychological support for both patients and their relatives. 

So what are the benefits of medical case management?

Medical case managers play an important role in today's healthcare system for a number of reasons:

• Case managers coordinate patient's medical examinations and treatment and reconcile them. This helps avoid treatment omissions, errors, and duplicate procedures, which can ultimately improve patient outcomes and reduce costs.

• Case managers help patients understand the medical system, find the right specialists, and facilitate access to the care they need.

• Case managers help make more efficient use of medical resources, such as doctors' time, medication use, and equipment. 

• By monitoring patients and coordinating their care, case managers can help prevent or detect complications related to a patient's illness and treatment in a timely manner. 

• Case managers also provide psychological and emotional support to patients and their families during illness or treatment, helping them understand medical issues, overcome challenges and make important decisions.

GoTreatCancer offers cancer patients the help of case managers with medical backgrounds and experience in the healthcare system. Our case managers have medical expertise, excellent communication skills and developed empathy, allowing them to best support cancer patients and their families as they navigate the complex world of oncology.