A clinical team is supervised by a patient care manager. This team member is responsible for the patient’s health and safety, as well as acting as an advocate for better patient outcomes. Depending on the need, the work can be done in a hospital, clinic, or at home, and typically requires a nursing license, experience, and the ability to work well with large and potentially diverse groups of people. Compensation varies, and people with additional certifications may be eligible for higher pay.
If a patient care manager is assigned to their case, people who require complex medical care, especially if they need to be hospitalized or will need to return on a regular basis for management of a condition, can have better outcomes. To keep the lines of communication open, this health care professional interacts with all members of the care team. The patient care manager, who coordinates the information and ensures that everyone is aware of important facts about the patient, receives a report from the doctors and nurses involved in the case.
The patient care manager can alert team members to unresolved health-care issues, potential drug interactions and complications related to the patient’s condition, and other concerns that may arise during the case’s management. One aspect of this job is to minimize the risk of duplicate procedures and tests, such as when a cardiologist orders an electrocardiogram and a surgeon preparing for a procedure orders one as well to check on the patient’s heart health. The patient care manager also makes sure that nothing goes untreated and that new symptoms, side effects, and other concerns are addressed promptly.
This may entail collaborating with not only health-care providers, but also family members, social workers, and others who may come into contact with the patient. Health-care continuity and consistency are critical, but so is ensuring that patients receive adequate nutrition and care at home and in other settings. Patient care managers can assist patients in finding affordable housing, referring them to nutritionists for meal planning assistance, and connecting them with housekeeping and other services to assist them at home while they are ill.
Patient care managers must be available for meetings during regular business hours, so the hours are fairly consistent. If the care manager is not on duty during an emergency, health care providers can provide an update once the patient is stable. This can be advantageous for qualified health care professionals who want to strike a work-life balance and prefer jobs with predictable, scheduled hours that are easier to plan around.