Clinical Case Manager Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for a clinical case manager job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a clinical case manager. Feel free to use our clinical case manager job description template to produce your own clinical case manager job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a clinical case manager.
Who is a Clinical Case Manager?
A clinical case manager handles all facets of a patient’s medical career. Some professionals in this field are nurses with expertise in patient admission and discharge and cost analysis. Others work in social work, where they are responsible for assisting clients dealing with mental health problems such as substance misuse and psychiatric episodes.
Clinical case managers support patient care by facilitating it. They visit patients to determine their needs and current state of health.
They assess the various therapeutic alternatives and create treatment programs for sustained improvement. In addition, they coordinate and monitor the patient’s development. They also advance cost-effectiveness, boost patient happiness, and enhance clinical outcomes. In a similar vein, they carry out routine audits to evaluate progress. Additionally, they maintain patient records and collaborate with medical professionals, social workers, families, and providers of human services.
Clinical case managers are responsible for monitoring a hospital’s level of patient care. They must manage case assignments, evaluate treatment plans, and educate patients about their options for care. They want to ensure that patients get the best care and support they need to be healthy and independent.
Clinical case managers are crucial connectors who help individuals access the quality, affordable healthcare they require, and they play a significant role in the healthcare delivery puzzle. That encompasses a wide range of situations, such as organizing a patient’s clinical care, assisting them in navigating insurance and hospital bureaucracies or acting as the patient’s initial point of contact in an emergency. Clinical case managers have a common goal: to change and save lives via excellent clinical care, even if they frequently specialize in one area, such as elder care or drug rehabilitation.
Clinical case managers coordinate care and ensure that the treatment and care plan is appropriately carried out and produces the expected results by consulting with patients, their families, and healthcare professionals. Clinical case managers liaise with physicians, insurance providers, rehab centers, and home health care providers to coordinate responsibilities. They evaluate patients, manage their whole cases, and work with the financial stakeholders, such as insurance providers, engaged in their care.
Clinical case managers ensure that patient or client needs are well recognized and that patient care is delivered safely and timely. Clinical case managers have a common goal: to change and save lives via excellent clinical care, even if they frequently specialize in one area, such as elder care or drug rehabilitation.
Following the patients’ medical demands, they reach out to service providers and efficiently manage all resources. They also track patients’ progress.
Clinical case managers form close relationships with their clients throughout their work. There is a psychological goal that results in developing rapport with the clients. The managers can address the patients’ psychosocial and motivational issues. Clinical case managers occasionally help patients make wise decisions for their lives. They support their clients’ independence and wellness.
Clinical case managers work in places, such as private offices, community health centers, hospitals, and clinics. They might also work for government organizations, insurance firms, or managed care groups. Most clinical case managers are full-time employees, while some work weekends or evenings to meet with clients or attend meetings. Clinical case managers often perform their duties in air-conditioned, well-lit offices. They might need to complete papers and sit still for an extended time.
Clinical Case Manager Job Description
What is a clinical case manager job description? A clinical case manager job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of a clinical case manager in an organization. Below are the clinical case manager job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a clinical case manager job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a clinical case manager include the following:
- Organize and deliver timely, efficient, safe, effective, and equitable patient care.
- Prepare service plans, manage clinical case assignments, assess case development, and decide whether to close a case.
- Assist clinical clients in achieving wellness and independence.
- Aid in the coordination of cases and the sharing of information, among other case-related activities.
- Advocate for the patients’ status; treatment options can help them make wise selections.
- Establish trusting working connections with the medical team and collaborate with them during the case management process.
- Engage with clinical patients and keep track of their development to guarantee happiness.
- Encourage cost-effective solutions and results.
- Utilize the ethical standards for clinical case managers as outlined in the laws, guidelines, and regulations.
- Evaluate and address psychosocial and motivational concerns.
Qualifications
- High school certificate or an equivalent
- An associate’s or bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, nursing, or other medical fields.
- Masters in a relevant field (some firms require it, though it is optional in others)
- Internship or apprenticeship experience in the field
- State’s Certification or Licenses
Essential Skills
The following abilities are necessary for clinical case managers to succeed:
- Clinical Knowledge and Experience
Understanding the care and treatment a patient needs and should receive requires clinical training and experience.
- IT Skills
Clinical case managers need to be proficient with computers and be able to manage files, work with databases, make spreadsheets, and put together presentations. They should also be capable of typing and know how to use office supplies.
- Communication skills
You may need to speak with patients, insurance providers, doctors, and other case managers in your role as a clinical case manager. Your success in this profession depends on your ability to communicate effectively. You should be able to express yourself succinctly, orally, and in writing. Additionally, you should be able to speak with patients, take notes of their requirements and guarantee that they comprehend the facts you are saying to them. Your capacity for efficient communication will be crucial when dealing with treatment, medicine, and therapy plans. You must always ensure that team members and clients hear you clearly because if they misunderstand your message, it could have repercussions.
- Conflict resolution skills
A clinical case manager may occasionally need to serve as a mediator for their client. The clients may display irresponsible behavior when they perceive that the hospital is not meeting their needs or it is violating them. It will be your obligation to end the argument and help everyone come to an agreeable and practical solution. It can require setting a meeting between the parties, compiling all the information, and coming up with a workable solution.
- Delegation
A clinical case manager must be able to delegate to complete all of the tasks and responsibilities they are accountable for. Clinical case managers need to be alert for signs that the volume of duties is becoming too much and should ensure to assign assignments to the right team members. Never forget quality over quantity.
- Empathy and compassion
Empathy is the capacity to comprehend a person’s thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Clinical case managers frequently utilize empathy to establish trust with their clients and give them the confidence to discuss difficult subjects. They might, for instance, employ empathy to make a client feel more at ease talking about their financial condition or private health concern.
- Time management
Another ability that clinical case managers may find helpful is time management. When it comes to healthcare, time is of the essence, and clinical case managers have a lot of conflicting duties. Getting everything done is crucial when a patient’s life is on the line. Clinical case managers frequently have a lot of work to do in a day, and they can have a lot of clients they need to check in with. Clinical case managers should be skilled time managers to multitask, coordinate schedules and appointments, and meet deadlines. They usually have access to contact information, resources, and reference materials. They can prioritize their work and ensure they do everything on time by having time management skills.
- Critical skills
Making decisions based on the data at hand requires critical thinking. Making recommendations for treatment plans may fall under your purview as a clinical case manager, as it necessitates gathering data on the patient’s condition and the likely effects of various treatment alternatives. You can use this skill to make the optimal choice for the patient’s health.
- Medical expertise
Being knowledgeable about medicine is being able to comprehend medical terms and practices. Clinical case managers frequently come from the healthcare industry, so they may already have extensive medical knowledge. Nevertheless, it’s critical to keep learning about the health care system and its functionality. It will enable you to comprehend your client’s demands and how to address them.
- Organization
Clinical case managers need organizational skills to handle every part of a client’s case, including tracking activity, updating records, and keeping tabs on results. They manage papers and documents, keep records, and uphold privacy.
- Responsibility
Being a clinical case manager necessitates having a high level of responsibility. A clinical case manager sometimes has to handle financial administration, community involvement, and client education in addition to being in charge of the client’s medicine, therapy, and rehabilitation. The clinical case manager coordinates and organizes everything to ensure that components of the job are taken care of, even though they may not be required to perform such tasks themselves.
- Tolerance
Clinical case management is based on the idea that everyone deserves high-quality healthcare. Differences in identity and culture have no bearing on this obligation. For instance, clinical case managers working in HIV case management with patients must be aware of the cultural stigma associated with HIV and AIDS when doing their tasks and combat any potential intolerance and discrimination in the medical community.
How to Become a Clinical Case Manager
You must have the employment qualifications to work as a clinical case manager. Follow this broad route to becoming a clinical case manager, though the qualifications for the position may differ by the employer:
Get a bachelor’s degree
Although you might be able to get a job with only an associate’s degree, think about going to college to strengthen your application. Get your bachelor’s in social work or a related branch of medicine from a recognized program. Alternative academic options include nursing, psychology, counseling, and social work.
Acquire a master’s degree
Enroll in a two-year master’s program in social work or a similar healthcare discipline to advance your career. Having this degree gives you the chance to learn more, even though it’s not necessarily necessary for jobs, and it might open up more employment prospects for you.
A master’s degree is needed to practice as a clinical or healthcare social worker. Two years of expertise in a clinical setting under supervision are also required. An internship or practicum is a requirement for social work master’s degree candidates.
Request an internship at a company
Acquire relevant experience to bolster your credentials. Think about applying for an internship with a government agency, a mental health facility, or a medical facility. You can gain relevant case management experience by looking for an internship or trainee role in one of these disciplines. Your skills will enhance in this sector after going through this process. A predetermined number of supervised work hours are needed to meet licensing and certification criteria. Consider internship or training possibilities based on these requirements after reviewing your state’s standards.
Obtain certificates and licenses in your field.
While some jurisdictions require social workers to be licensed, others exempt clinical social workers who work for government organizations. Your authority in your profession may increase, you may have additional work chances, and you may look more attractive to employers if you have your license or certification.
Review qualification and licensure requirements in your state before beginning to perform clinical case management. You require a master’s degree in social work and at least two years of post-graduation supervised clinical work experience to obtain your license. After completing your supervised experience, you must pass a clinical exam to become licensed.
Where to Work as a Clinical Case Manager
Clinical case managers can work privately and offer their services to individuals and families. They can also work for local authorities and the federal government.
They also work in clinics, hospitals, ambulatory healthcare, and community hubs.
Clinical Case Manager Salary Scale
How much do clinical case managers make? Clinical Case Managers’ salaries currently range between $43,810 and $63,100, with top earners making $74,000 and above annually across the United States. However, some make as low as $29,000 annually.