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Build a per diem case management staff to protect your department

Case Management Weekly, August 29, 2007

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Unexpected absences, long-term medical leaves, and vacancies all create staffing problems for case management departments. And as experienced directors know, there is a direct correlation between adequate case manager staffing levels and achieving quality discharges, LOS budget targets, and meeting performance measures.

So how to ensure full productivity when staffing levels unexpectedly diminish or wear thin? One effective back-up plan is to build and maintain a per diem case management/social work staff.

A per diem staff can be comprised of experienced case managers, professionals from other departments, or newer case managers looking for experience.

The advantages to such a program include:

• A financial advantage of paying a regular hourly rate (straight pay) rather then overtime to permanent case management staff

• Permanent staff feel supported when they receive extra support and don't have extra work dumped on them. Such support directly effects retention rates and improves overall culture and morale.

• The traditional burn out associated with staffing shortages is minimized, or even avoided.

• High-quality care coordination, discharge planning, and patient flow in the hospital is not compromised due to higher case loads or overworked, fatigued case managers.

Source: Case Management Monthly, HCPro, Inc

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