What is Case Management?

Case management applies to many different areas of healthcare and it serves to lay the foundation for treatment for the client and their families.According to the Case Management Society of America, “case management is a collaborative process of assessment, planning, facilitation, care coordination, evaluation, and advocacy for options and services to meet an individual’s and family’s comprehensive health needs through communication and available resources to promote quality, cost-effective outcomes.” Case managers often work with the elderly, people suffering from mental illnesses or addiction, and in the state of Michigan, people who have been in catastrophic car accidents.The importance of case management when dealing with people injured in car accidents is one of those things that often isn’t understood unless you have experienced the need. Also, most people are unaware that under Michigan’s no-fault law, one is entitled tohaving a case manager, which is paid for by the insurance company. This case manager works for you, not for the insurance company, and has both the victim and their family’s best interests in mind.At 11 years of age, I was involved in a car accident that devastated my family. I was very fortunate to be the least injured, as I only received a mild traumatic brain injury. My mom also received a traumatic brain injury, along with a few fractures and torn ligaments. My dad received the most severe injuries because he was ejected from our car while it was rolling over. He flew for several feet until his head hit a telephone pole and he subsequently fell to the ground. He was rendered a quadriplegic and required around the clock assistance.This was a huge adjustment for him, and for our whole family. We were very fortunate to receive case management services, and I honestly can’t imagine how my dad’s care would have been managed without a case manager advocating for him and our family, especially while my mom and I were dealing with our own injuries. My dad needed a lot of equipment (ramps, lifts, etc.), a specialized wheelchair designed for the range of motion that he had in his right arm, a van to travel in with his wheelchair, a house that had adequate space for him to navigate without hurting himself, and he required 24/7 care. All of his needs were satisfied through a collaborative effort between his doctors and case manager. Being able to not have to worry about my dad receiving the care he needed was a huge weight off of my family’s shoulders.Despite having only sustained minor injuries, I still had a need for case management services. I required MRI’s, visits with a neurologist to assess potential deficits, team meetings at school in order to help my teachers understand how they could best support me, and psychological support to help me cope with the trauma I had experienced. If it weren’t for case management services, I am confident that I would not have received the care that I needed, and that the quality of my mom and dad’s care would have been subpar. I attribute my success today to the care I received from case management services.Feinberg Consulting has many skilled case managers specializing in providing care to those who have been in a catastrophic car accident. If you or someone you know is not getting the level of care that you think they deserve, please give us a call today at 248.538.5425.