Continuous Learning: A Professional Responsibility

Case Management Focus

Every nurse case manager is required to engage in continuous learning. Continuous learning focuses on how you can use information to improve your practice. In this week’s post, I wanted to share two takeaways that I will explore as a result of a conference I attended last week.   

The 25^th Annual International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals Conference took place in Plantation, Florida, November 8^th. As a nurse case manager, one of the areas that I work in is workers' compensation. So when I saw the conference was going to take place near my home, I registered so I could learn what was happening in workers compensation and return to work.  

The conference brought together professionals in the rehabilitation and workers' compensation industry. The topics focused on return to work and addressed some of the innovative programs that are in place to aid in this process.  

My First Takeaway:  

The opening session was titled Empowering Recovery—7 Reasons to Consider Acupuncture: Enhancing Patient Outcomes and Efficiency by Integrating Holistic Care in Claims Management. Dr. Sandra Kahn, an expert in this area, talked about some of the non-medical treatments available for providers to use in treating injured workers and people outside the worker's compensation industry in need of long term medical care due to chronic conditions such as cancer, arthritis, chronic pain, amputations, depression, and many others.  

What was interesting for me was to learn that alternative holistic therapies like acupuncture are being used in prevention to keep people healthy in order to minimize the risk of injury and chronic problems. She said many professional athletes have private acupuncture therapists on their staff who work with them proactively.  

Understanding various holistic therapies and bringing the evidence gathered to support them is essential. Nurse case managers are viewed as influences and must share information with the treatment team to be considered part of the preventative therapies as well as their patients' treatment plans.  

Second Takeaway 

My second takeaway was a presentation on Employment Network Opportunity: Positioning for Success with the Ticket to Work program. Derek Shields, Sr., EN Development and Training Manager Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work Program, spoke and explained the program and how it is a program that those who specialize in workers' compensation and those working with people in the area of worker's compensation as well as those on social security disability who were injured or ill outside of work. The program allows professionals skilled vocational and rehabilitation to join forces with the Social Security Administration to help people understand the ticket work program can help those on SSDI return to work in a coordinated and safe way that protects their benefits.  

An Employment Network (EN) is an entity that contracts with the Social Security Administration (Social Security) to either provide and coordinate the delivery of services to help Social Security disability beneficiaries return to work. 

Today it is reported that 1 in 4 Americans have some disability that impacts their quality of life and their ability to work. The most recent statistics indicate that Social Security Disability Insurance benefits are about $16.8 billion annually; workers' compensation benefits are $16.1 billion, and private disability income protection benefits are $5.2 billion. These figures add up to almost $40 billion in insurance costs. The Employment Networks were established to pay vocational and rehabilitation professionals who have expertise in return to work to help reduce these numbers/costs.  

If you are an independent practice, consider looking to become an Employment Network with the Social Security Administration. This will allow you to add additional services and an additional stream of income to your practice. The EN can be an individual, a partnership/alliance (public or private), or a consortium of organizations collaborating to combine resources to serve eligible individuals.  

As we know, many people struggle to return to work, especially those on SSDI (social security disability insurance). These people might want to return to work but are afraid to try because they will lose their Social Security disability checks. The Ticket to Work Program is designed to give people the chance to work without losing their benefits. Having a professional with them as they move forward has proven to be successful.  

This program is an opportunity for professionals involved in vocational and rehabilitation, case management, and patient health advocacy to move into this area and help those who are disabled understand how they CAN return to work within their restrictions, find a job, and retain that job. The Ticket to Work Program is an important program that empowers people to move forward and focus on their abilities rather than their disabilities.  

I hope you will explore these resources further by clicking on the links under the reference section.  

What conferences have you been to this year? How have they improved or changed your practice? Send me an email me at allewellyn48@gmail.com and I will use your comments in a future article.  

References:  

1. Agenda for 25th Annual IARP Southeast Florida W/C Claims Conferencehttps://allfloridacasemanagementnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Attendee-Reg-2024-fill.pdf  

2. To learn more and find acupuncture, visit the national association at https://asacu.org/find-a-practitioner.  

3. To learn more about the number of people who are disabled in the United States, visit https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.html 

4. To learn how to become part of an employment network under the Social Security Administration visit https://yourtickettowork.ssa.gov/employment-networks 

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