Nurse case managers play a critical role in workers’ compensation cases. They handle a myriad of responsibilities from coordinating and overseeing, advocating and educating, to adjusting and evaluating. For business owners, it’s important to understand the value of nurse case managers, especially when it comes to how they work with and handle your injured employees. Keep reading to learn more about their roles and responsibilities and how they relate to you and your employees.
Patient Care Coordination
The main purpose of a nurse case manager is to coordinate patient care. It’s their job to work with the patient, their families, physicians and other healthcare professionals to make sure their care plan is integrated across all parties involved. They also schedule appointments and arrange for specialized treatments, as needed.
Advocating for Injured Workers
Nurse case managers are in the thick of it with their patients every single day, so there’s truly no better person to advocate for your injured employees. Often, patients will encounter barriers to accessing services and treatments, and nurse case managers ensure that these barriers won’t be an issue in their care.
Providing Education
From the complexities of an injury to treatments and self-care strategies, nurse case managers educate patients and their families every step of the way. They can also provide guidance on medications, lifestyle changes and how to handle getting back to work safely.
Managing Claims
Similar to treatment plans, the insurance industry is very complex and often confusing for injured employees. Fortunately, nurse case managers have plenty of experience with insurance companies and can help patients understand their benefits and navigate the claims process.
Evaluating Care
Lastly, another key role nurse case managers play is evaluating and adjusting patient care plans. It’s their role to gain buy in from the recovering worker and ensure that treatments are effective. Throughout the patient’s healing journey, the nurse case manager will frequently evaluate them and determine if changes need to be made. It’s then that they will coordinate with physicians and other healthcare professionals to adjust their plans.
Learn more about how we work with nurse case managers here.