WRNMMC, Bethesda, Md.   –   Walter Reed National Military Medical Center's case management team hosted its inaugural Case Management Awareness Day event – an event that would perhaps be hosted during National Case Management Week in October.
The one-day event was a day to raise awareness about case management and their services.

"Our intended audience ranges from TRICARE Prime beneficiaries enrolled at MTFs - particularly those struggling to manage their healthcare needs - to Walter Reed staff, including providers, nurses, and ancillary staff," shared Margaret Jumah, Walter Reed's Chief of Case Management.

They intend to make Case Management Awareness Day at Walter Reed an ongoing event to meet the evolving needs of the Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) and its beneficiaries, hopeful they're able to "broaden our patient's awareness about case management services and by doing so, reducing the fragmentation of care," shared Jumah and her team.

In the past, something like this would be confined to National Case Management Week. Still, Walter Reed's case management team recognized the need for regular engagement to effectively address the changing needs of those who receive care within MTFs.

"This marks the beginning of an ongoing series of case management awareness events," said Christiana Ibiebele, Walter Reed's pediatric case management.
Ibiebele also shared, "Case management services are part of TRICARE Prime benefits," and referenced Walter Reed's website that, "Beneficiaries would receive advocacy, support, education, reduced burden, streamlined care utilization, healthcare coordination with team assistance, and monitoring for progress and desired outcomes."

While the inaugural event offers invaluable in-person resources, TRICARE Prime beneficiaries and Walter Reed staff who were unable to attend can find case management information on the Walter Reed website: walterreed.tricare.mil/Health-Services/Case-Management.

"In addition to learning more on the website, they also can access brochures available at all clinics or contact case management directly at 301-295-1100," shared Sybil Smith, Walter Reed nurse case manager.

Under the helm of Walter Reed's Directorate for Healthcare Operations, the case management team believes this inaugural event will be crucial in empowering beneficiaries and even their staff, with the knowledge and resources to understand better and navigate what could often be seen as the "complex landscape of their health care."