Telephonic case manager

[msleely]

Hi, I was trying to get information on a telephonic case manager position. I had a phone interview with UHC and wanted to talk with someone who has worked in this position. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks.

[jeffsher]

I just started as a Telephonic CM back in January. I work for an HMO, and the position was newly created to cover the Medical Home and Community Case Managers in our system (over 100 CMs; there is also 1 other nurse hired as a coverage nurse). In this program, Medical Home CMs are embedded in offices so that they have access to the docs, yet most of the work is by telephone. The main goal is to manage specific diseases (Heart Failure and COPD) more closely, and reduce hospitalizations and ED visits.

There is a skill involved in telephone work. You don't have the patient in front of you, so you oftentimes have to drag out information that might not be communicated by the patient. But like anything, you develop those skills over time, and it does get easier (I have 17 years of phone triage experience, so I'm well skilled in that aspect). If you have a decent clinical knowledge base, it's doable.

I love the job, and as an added benefit, it works out well for me, as I have a hereditary neuropathy which limits me working on my feet all day.

Feel free to message me or post a reply here if you have specific questions.

[LimitlessRN]

I am a telephonic case manager for UHC and I love it. I have done years of critical care nursing, then learned dialysis. The patients I case manage are all over the country and I am able to use my critical care knowledge to help identify gaps in my patient's care, give them education and encourage healthy behavior. I am a health and wellness advocate and I love it. The work I do helps enforce preventative care and positive/compliant behavior and the goal is to decrease the amount of reactive medical care for preventable causes. It is a new way to guide health care and decrease the amount of resources and costs to the patient. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia after a very difficult pregnancy, making marathon shifts in the ICU too much for me. Now I can be an effective nurse, with understanding and empathy for what my patients face.

[EllbellRN]

I also worked for UHC for 5 years as a work at home CM/DM Case Manager. I loved it and the only reason I left was to have a baby and become a full time mom instead. I worked with an amazing group of nurses, always felt supported and I walked away from that job as a CCM, which is now opening doors for me as I am going back to work per diem.

In fact, I had an interview last week with a Hospital for a weekend Per Diem Case Manager. I don't have any experience in this area at all, but what got me through the door was my CCM. If UHC did not push me to obtain this certification, I would never have done it.

It's excellent experience, a great learning opportunity and very rewarding. However, if you are a person that does not like to work independently, think hard before taking it. There are no lunch or coffee breaks with other people. Also, it's hard to "break away" from the computer at times and you'll find yourself signing on to it on weekends just to see what's going on with work..

I will say though I did form friendships over IM and the phone with RNs on my team in different states and we still keep in touch even though I left.

Good luck!