How case managers can augment disease management strategies with HME

Abstract

Summary The expertise behind HME enabling technology firms is proving to be a valuable resource to case managers creating and refining DM initiatives. Market leaders and innovators now are unfolding a whole new world for case managers to use HME specialists' support to augment DM strategies and capabilities within organized care systems. Change raises many questions among case managers and HME specialists that need to be answered and clarified to innovate and spearhead new DM opportunities in the market. The key to a profitable collaboration is to identify the HME group(s) most in tune with existing total health management initiatives and can bring new skill sets, advanced perceptions, and innovative capabilities to the table. “The best way to predict the future is to create it,” says management guru Peter Druker. It's time organized care systems and HME specialists work in tandem to embrace the agents of change and unfold the new grand vision—the creation of total health—as the driving force of synergistic DM program design, development, and implementation. Together case managers and HME specialists need to examine the true value of the total health management strategy, create a spirit of collaboration and accountability, and communicate the benefits to all stakeholders in the health care community at large.