Little Rock, AR - The Case Management Society of America (CMSA) is pleased to announce that the fourth annual celebration of National Case Management Week will take place October 9-15.

CMSA joins a number of other national organizations supporting CM Week in efforts to unify case and care management professionals, to educate the public about case management, and to increase awareness and recognition of the significant contributions case and care managers make to quality healthcare for patients, healthcare providers, and payers. This year's theme is "Case Management - the Power to Solve the Healthcare Puzzle!" and reflects the immeasurable efforts of case managers to help fit together all the intricate "puzzle pieces" of healthcare, thereby better smoothing the way for patients, care givers, and others involved.

"Acknowledging care managers through a nationally recognized event such as National Case Management Week is vitally important as the field becomes increasingly known as a strategy of great significance across the continuum of care," said CMSA President, Susan A. Rogers, RN, BSN, CCM. "Not only does case management support patients and their families in navigating the healthcare system, it decreases the fragmentation of services, encourages health team communication, and contributes significantly to patient safety, quality of life, and cost-efficient management of limited resources. Therefore, case management can and should be recognized and celebrated by the healthcare industry as a crucial element of care giving."

Featured this year as part of the CM Week logo are interlocking "puzzle-piece people." This design was chosen to symbolize a circle or team of caregivers and the power of case managers to work together to exponentially strengthen their power to educate, collaborate, advocate, and communicate across the healthcare industry.

National Case Management Week is celebrated annually during the second full week of October, and CMSA offers resources to help individuals and employers plan their CM Week celebration. Ideas such as hosting a recognition luncheon, creating posters for the workplace, coordinating public relations and governmental recognition, and other promotional suggestions are included in CMSA's 2005 Promotional Guide available at www.cmsa.org/CMWeek. T-shirts, mugs, and pens featuring the 2005 puzzle logo are also available for purchase.

For additional information about CMSA, please feel free to contact Jeanne Boling, MSN, CRRN, CDMS, CCM, CMSA Executive Director. For more information about National Case Management Week or to learn more about the products, ideas, and opportunities available for its celebration, please visit www.cmsa.org/CMWeek or contact Michele Lee at mlee@acminet.com or at 501-225-2229 ext. 20.
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