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Case Management Society of America (CMSA) Held 20th Anniversary Conference June 8-12.
Author: | Thursday June 17, 2010
Past CMSA President and Board Member Jeff Frater and Cheri Lattimer, Executive Director of CMSA welcomed well over 2,000 attendees to the annual conference held in Orlando.
Case Managers Reminded of the
Rapid Growth of Technology in Health Care
It was not that many years ago that many of us were learning about the new phenomenon, the internet. We bought our first mobile phones, added pagers and, for the first time, we were always connected.
Case managers from around the country were reminded of those days during a keynote presentation at the national meeting of the Case Management Society of America (CMSA) on June 9, 2010.
Technology experts Don Dea and Hugh Lee served up a one-two punch of humor, advice and a history lesson the emergence of "Social Media, Technology and Case Management.
Just ten years ago there was virtually no one who used wireless computers, the experts pointed out. In 2010 more than half of us are wireless, and if you look around you feel like it is a lot more than that. The ability to obtain and store information is changing the face of health care and presents a tremendous, if someone daunting challenge to health care professionals....find a way to harness and use the technology to serve your business and your customers.
The speakers told the audience that they have the ability at their fingertips to become empowered through the use of technology and you can also keep up with your children and grandchildren if you are on Facebook.
Online Education Viewed as Way to
Bring New Case Managers into Profession
If the Case Management Society of America (CMSA) has its way, the future will bring fresh young minds and faces into the profession, who will learn at the sides of mentors who wish to pass the baton to the next generation.
The farsighted vision of CMSA is manifesting itself with developments to its web site to provide educational opportunities for young people who wish to learn about case management and to earn their credentials. "We want to establish a career building library and plug in to educate others," said Executive Director Cheri Latimer, RN, BSN.
Speaking to hundreds of case managers, Latimer said the time is now to develop new leaders. "We are aging out, we need to have students to have the skills to go with the profession," she told the audience. Latimer said that she saw an opportunity for "retired" case managers who can provide guidance "online" through the CMSA website, by following a student and being available for mentoring support.
Outgoing President Peggy Leonard encouraged the case managers to stoke the "passions we have to get it done."
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