Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this national role and function study was to identify the essential activities and necessary knowledge areas of case management practice, meaning the work performed by case managers in various care settings and across diverse professional disciplines.
Primary Practice Setting(s): The national study covered case management practices and work settings across the full continuum of health care.
Methodology and Sample: This cross-sectional descriptive study used the practice analysis method and online survey research design. The study employed a purposive sample of case managers, in which 52,370 individuals received an invitation to volunteer to participate. Data collection completed over a 4-week period resulted in 7,668 useable survey responses (nearly a 15% response rate).
Results: The study identified the common activities and knowledge areas necessary for competent and effective performance of case managers, as was highlighted in Part I of the two-part article series on the role and function study. The results of the study informed the needed update of the test specifications for the Certified Case Manager (CCM) certification examination. This work assures the CCM continues to be substantiated in current practice. Of special note are the emergence of specific activity and knowledge domains in the area of case management ethical, legal, and practice standards, and an increase in the number of employers requiring certified case managers to fill vacant positions and compensating them financially for such qualifications.
Implications for Case Management Practice: The role and function study keeps the CCM credentialing examination evidence-based and maintains its validity for evaluating competency of case managers. Findings can be used to develop programs and curricula for the training and education of case managers. The study instrument also can be used for further research of case management practice.