Abstract
Purpose of the Study: Measure current roles and responsibilities of care managers in the state of Utah.
Primary Practice Setting: All settings of health care including inpatient, outpatient, community, payer, post-acute, and transitional care settings.
Methods and Sample: A quantitative descriptive survey design was used to assess and describe current care management roles and responsibilities of 191 care managers within the state of Utah. Quantitative variables of roles and responsibilities were collected an electronic database (REDCap).
Results: Major results conclude that care managers spend most of their time on direct patient interactions including discharge planning, population care, and utilization review. These care managers are highly experienced in their field, with most being in their professional practice for more than 10 years. Most of the care managers are bachelor's prepared nurses.
Implications for Care Management and Care Coordination Practice: To create or expand care management processes to meet the goals of health care reform, systems first need to know what care managers/coordinators are doing and where their current focus on care presides. Educators, leaders, and, indeed, the care managers themselves are a part of preparing this dynamic workforce. The major responsibility of care management continues to be direct patient interactions, meaning that care managers are performing vital interpersonal patient interaction needed to achieve highly personalized patient care with assurances of quality and safety. No matter the name-care management, case management, or care coordination-these activities are an essential part of health care, with highly specialized skills that promote patient engagement and activation.