Toni G. Cesta, RN, FAAN, PhD, is Senior Vice President–Operational Efficiency and Capacity Management at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY. In her position, Dr. Cesta is responsible for case management, social work, discharge planning, utilization management, denial management, bed management, the patient navigator program, the clinical documentation improvement program, and systems process improvement.
Additionally, Dr. Cesta serves as Health Care Consultant and Partner in Case Management Concepts, LLC, a consulting company which assists institutions in designing, implementing, and evaluating case management models, new documentation systems, and other strategies for improving care and reducing cost. Dr. Cesta has also completed seven years as a Commissioner for the Commission for Case Manager Certification.
Prior to her position as Senior Vice President at Lutheran Medical Center, Dr. Cesta held positions as Vice President for Patient Flow Optimization at the North Shore–Long Island Jewish Health System; and was Director of Case Management, Saint Vincent’s Catholic Medical Centers of NY in New York City. She also designed and implemented a Master’s of Nursing in Case Management Program, and Post-Master’s Certificate Program in Case Management at Pace University in Pleasantville, NY.
Dr. Cesta has been active in the research and development of case management for over 20 years. Her research in case management has included two funded studies measuring the effects of a case management model on congestive heart failure and fractured hip patient populations, with measures of patient satisfaction, quality of life, and short-and long-term clinical perceptions and outcomes.
Dr. Cesta has presented topics on case management at national and international conferences and workshops. She has published extensively, and the fourth edition of her book, “Nursing Case Management: From Essentials to Advanced Practice Applications,” (Elsevier-Mosby Publishers) was published in 2004. The second edition of her best-selling book: “The Case Manager’s Survival Guide: Winning Strategies for Clinical Practice” was published in 2002; and won the AJN Book of the Year award in 2003. “Survival Strategies for Nurses in Managed Care” was also released in 2002. Her newest book: “Core Skills for Case Managers” was published in 2009 and is already a best seller!
Dr. Cesta is Consulting Editor of the “Hospital Case Management Journal.” In addition, she serves as an editorial advisory board member for several case management journals and publications including “Strategies for Healthcare Excellence” and “The Journal of Care Management.”
Dr. Cesta has a BS in Biology from Wagner College, a BS in Nursing from Adelphi University, an MA in Nursing Administration from New York University, and a PhD in Nursing Research and Theory Development from New York University.
She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing; and her awards include the “Nursing Service Administration Award” from the NY State Nurses Association, the “Jessie M. Scott Award” for excellence in research, practice, and education from the American Nurses Association; and three “Book of the Year” awards from the American Journal of Nursing.