Incorporating Patient-Centeredness Into Case Management Practice: Concepts, Interventions, and Measurement.

PURPOSE OF MANUSCRIPT: Patient-centeredness is a cornerstone of case management practice. Professional case managers must conduct a clinical assessment to develop a care plan that addresses the clinical issues as well as the patient's needs, preferences, values, and choices. To achieve patient-centeredness, the case manager must engage with the patient in order to build a relationship that supports the patient-identified goals and addresses gaps in care. This article provides information on key terms in patient-centeredness, such as patient satisfaction, patient experience, and patient empowerment. The article ends with two case examples to show how the interventions outlined can be applied in specific situations. PRIMARY PRACTICE SETTING: Patient-centeredness applies to all settings and levels of care. IMPLICATIONS FOR CASE MANAGEMENT: The case manager will learn about successful organizational strategies that can be deployed to support patient-centeredness. The article also identifies several key case-specific strategies that can be deployed when case managers work with patients. The metrics used in evaluating and improving patient-centeredness are also described.

Working With Transgender Individuals in Case Management Practice.

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES: To understand key concepts, effective communication strategies, and a broad range of health and human services for transgender persons in order to enhance the effectiveness of case management services. PRIMARY PRACTICE SETTINGS: Individuals who identify as transgender or gender variant. FINDINGS/CONCLUSIONS: Transgender persons have faced historic challenges in accessing health care services that are respectful, sensitive, and affirming. Case managers have the opportunity to serve as an advocate for these individuals by understanding effective communication strategies as well as medical, behavioral, and social services to support transgender persons through the transition process. IMPLICATIONS FOR CASE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE: To be effective with transgender persons, case managers need to know key terms and communications strategies, medical treatment options, behavioral health issues that need to be evaluated and addressed, and social services available to transgender persons.