Summary: Co-locating healthcare case managers in care settings can improve communication with patients as they move through the continuum of care, says Jan Van der Mei, regional director of continuum case management for Sutter Health Sacramento Sierra Region. Ms. Van der Mei describes the major issues that case managers face while helping patients navigate the Sutter system, as well as the key role of case managers in reducing hospital readmissions. Ms. Van der Mei is one of five contributors to the "Guide to Patient-Centered Case Management," a 110-page resource of best practices in identifying, stratifying and monitoring individuals for case management. It documents the returns generated by targeted case management interventions in place at Geisinger Health System and other organizations, and the Q and A chapter answers more than 50 questions on patient-centered case management.
