New Resource for Case Managers: SNAPforSeniors

Editor in Chief Anne Llewellyn sat down with Eve Stern, RN, MS, to discuss a new consumer decision support tool that will assist case managers and families when addressing a growing issue: senior housing. Stern shares how the idea was conceived and the practical application that meets an important need. She also talks about the Senior Housing locator, an online navigational tool powered by SNAPforSeniors. The tool is accessible free of charge on the SNAPforSeniors website.

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[7 MB WAV file]

Exploring LifeVest, a Non-invasive Treatment for Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Editor in Chief Anne Llewellyn talks with Bonnie Rodgers, RN, BSN, training manager for ZOLL Lifecor Corporation. Bonnie shares her insight on a new device, the LifeVest wearable defibrillator that was developed to treat fatal arrhythmias responsible for sudden cardiac arrest/death. Bonnie has more than 15 years of experience in the medical device industry developing and bringing new products to market. She has an extensive background in adult heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, neonatology and sleep therapy. For a refresher on sudden cardiac arrest, click here.

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[4 MB WAV file]

Catastrophic Case Management: Focus on Traumatic Brain Injury

Editor in Chief Anne Llewellyn talks with Dr. Mark Ashley, President and CEO of Centre for Neuro Skills in Bakersfield, CA on October 28, 2006, in preparation for an article that appeared in the February/March 2007 issue of Case in Point. The article was titled “Catastrophic Case Management: Focus on Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries.”

In this interview, Dr. Ashley shares information about the latest advances in the area of traumatic brain injury, as well as the challenges that exist in the area of catastrophic rehabilitation for patients with traumatic brain injuries.

He challenges all case managers to use their creative skills to work in their organizations and communities to ensure there are adequate resources for those stricken with traumatic brain injuries.

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[63 MB MP3]

NEW Interview! Traumatic Brain Injury: Engaging the Family for Maximum Results

On May 5, 2008, Editor in Chief Anne Llewellyn sat down with Dr. Mark Ashley and talked about the importance of engaging the family in the care of patients with traumatic brain injury. Case managers who work with patients with this severe trauma can gain important insight into ways the family can make the difference in maximizing outcomes.

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[6 MB WAV file]

Catastrophic Case Management: Focus on Spinal Cord Injuries

Editor in Chief Anne Llewellyn talks with Dennis O’Malley from Craig Rehabilitation Hospital in Denver, CO, on October 28, 2006, in preparation for an article that appeared in the February/March 2007 issue of Case in Point. The article was titled “Catastrophic Case Management: Focus on Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries.”

In this interview, Dennis O’Malley shares insight into important roles that case managers play in proactive management in both acute and rehabilitation management patients with spinal cord injuries.

He challenges all case managers to use their creative skills to work in their organizations and communities to ensure there are adequate resources for those spinal cord injuries to help these patients lead productive lives despite their injuries.

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[45 MB MP3]

Frank Federico, Director of the Institute of Healthcare Improvement, Talks about the Industry, Patient Safety and Tools for Education

“By making safety a priority and by making the processes that deliver care easier, more streamlined . . . we’re finding that hospitals are actually benefiting on the bottom line, that they’re turning this around and making some money, rather than losing money, by investing in quality and healthcare.”

Editor in Chief Anne Llewellyn talks with Frank Federico, R.Ph, Director of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in Cambridge, Mass. Mr. Federico’s primary areas of focus include patient safety, application of reliability principles in health care, preventing surgical complications and the ideas centered in the white paper and model, Idealized Design of Perinatal Care. He also serves on the faculty for the Patient Safety Officer Training Program. Mr. Federico has worked with the IHI since 1996 as a faculty member and co-chair of a number of patient safety collaboratives.

In this interview, Mr. Federico shares his views on the state of quality in today’s healthcare system and challenges each and every case manager to be alert and proactive with regard to the pertinent issues that are impacting our healthcare system.

To learn more about the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the tools they have developed to reduce errors within organizations, visit www.ihi.org.

The 19th Annual National Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care will be held December 9-12, 2007, in Orlando, Fla. Visit the IHI’s website to learn more.

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[7 MB WAV file]

Mental Illness: An Expert’s Take on Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder

“The impact these illnesses have on the United States is pretty breathtaking. About 1 percent of the population in America has schizophrenia and about 2 or 3 percent have bipolar disorder. And this 3 or 4 percent of people occupies a tremendous number of beds, a tremendous number of disability lost days. When you combine (these) with depression and OCD, you can account for thousands and thousands and thousands of disability lost days in America.”

Editor in Chief Anne Llewellyn talks with Dr. Ken Duckworth from the National Alliance on Mental Illness on August 27, 2007, in preparation for an article that appeared in the December 2007/January 2008 issue of Case in Point. The article is titled “Raising a Voice for Mental Illness.”

Dr. Duckworth, the medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a long affiliation with the field of psychiatry and has vast experience in the field of public health. Dr. Duckworth is an assistant professor at Harvard University Medical School and medical director of Vinfen Corporation in Boston.

In this interview, Dr. Duckworth talks about the impact of mental illness on personal and societal levels, addresses the role of stigma, and explains some of the steps NAMI is taking in an effort to reduce the burden of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder on patients, families and caregivers.

To learn more about NAMI’s initiatives, resources and history, visit them on the Web at www.nami.org.

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[5 MB WAV file]

A Personal Journey: The Breakdowns and Successes in a Life with Schizophrenia

“By the time I got to Harvard I was getting lost on a three-block walk to school. And then I was getting lost everywhere else, like subway stations. I started taking taxis everywhere. I realized at some point that I couldn’t count simple change, so I paid for everything with $20 bills. By the time my mom flew in a panic across the country, I had gone on a one-year leave from graduate school.” — Lisa Halpern on her early stages of schizophrenia

Editor in Chief Anne Llewellyn talks with Lisa Halpern on August 23, 2007, in preparation for an article that appeared in the December 2007/January 2008 issue of Case in Point. The article is titled “Raising a Voice for Mental Illness.”

Lisa Halpern is director of Vinfen Corporation’s Dorchester Bay Recovery Center, a skills-based day program for adults with mental illness and substance abuse that is converting from a professionally run to a peer-run entity. In addition, for the past few years she has served as coordinator, speaker, and trainer for In Our Own Voice, a recovery-based consumer speaking program under the auspices of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

In this interview, Ms. Halpern shares the harrowing experience of her early days with schizophrenia, her frustrating but ultimately successful journey toward a correct diagnosis, and a look at the peer-led programs she helps coordinate.

To learn more about the support programs with which Lisa Halpern is involved, search the “Find Support” tab on www.nami.org, or visit www.vinfen.org.

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[9 MB WAV file]

All About Sleep: Sleep Disorders and the Impact of Poor Sleep

“In humans, the data is fairly mixed as to what the actual function of sleep is. There’s various and different hypotheses. But we do know that if a person is sleep deprived, they have problems such as excessive daytime sleepiness, which puts them at risk for motor vehicle as well as work-related accidents. They have difficulties with their cognitive functions. Their ability to think unimpaired is affected, as well as their mood changes. There are a constellation of different types of effects that occur as a result of sleep deprivation.”

Executive Editor Robin Jay talks with Dr. Clete Kushida, a sleep doctor from Stanford University, on August 22, 2007, in preparation for an article that appeared in the December 2007/January 2008 issue of Case in Point. The article was titled “Awake At Night: The Ill Effects of Poor Sleep and Sleep Disorders.”

Clete Kushida, M.D., Ph.D., is an associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford University Medical Center, an attending physician at the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic, and director of the Stanford University Center for Human Sleep Research.

In this interview, Dr. Kushida describes the most common sleep disorders that affect Americans, including sleep apnea, insomnia, restless legs syndrome, and others. He also explains the negative effects of a poor night’s sleep.

To learn more about sleep in general and sleep disorders in particular, visit the American Academy of Sleep Medicine at www.aasmnet.org. For clinics that provide testing, visit www.sleepcenters.org. And for personal patient information, visit www.sleepeducation.com.

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[8 MB WAV file]