LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – JULY 2007 – Two distinguished national case management awards were presented in June at CMSA's 17th Annual Conference & Expo held in Denver, Colo. — the Case Manager of the Year Award (CMOY) and the Award of Service Excellence (AOSE).

Joan Bowman, RN, MPA, CCM, of East Lansing, Mich., received CMSA's 2007 Case Manager of the Year award. Bowman is a published author, respected national speaker, presenter, and educator. She is also a supporter of health policy development for outcomes and research, health disparities, health promotion, and preventive care. Active in national efforts to bring evidence-based information and methods to case management practice, she recently accepted the position of Director of Patient Support Services at Sparrow Health Systems in Lansing, Mich., and is Adjunct Faculty at Michigan State University, College of Nursing. Noted for her dedication to integrating case management into the world of health professions, Bowman is a founding member of the Greater Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo Chapter of CMSA and a current member of the Detroit Chapter. Now serving as a Commissioner for the Commission for Case Manager Certification, Joan has been active in CMSA on a national level having served as Chapter Presidents’ Council Chair and on the National Board of Directors.

The Award of Service Excellence award recipient for 2007 is Pam Davis, RN, CCM, of Franklin, Tenn. Known as a gifted presenter, author, editor, and educator, Davis began her career as a staff nurse, then progressed to case manager, discharge planner, surgical care coordinator, health coach, bariatric and disease management program coordinator. After undergoing a life-saving gastric bypass surgery in 2001, this self-styled perfectionist developed a passion for working with the morbidly obese. Davis now serves as Bariatric Clinical Manager at Centennial Center for the Treatment of Obesity in Nashville, Tenn., and is a respected member of the Obesity Action Coalition's board of directors. Davis has been an active member of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of CMSA for many years and is the co-author of CMSA's Case Management Resource Path on Morbid Obesity.

"All too often we tend to focus on the problems and what needs to be accomplished and don't take the time to celebrate our heroes, those individuals who exemplify the best in case management," said CMSA President, Peter Moran, RN,C, BSN, MS, CCM. "Joan's commitment to the local chapters, case management education, standards, and outcomes makes her a role model that many try to emulate. Pam is an example of a case manager who takes standards of practice and puts them into action. To her, facilitation and advocacy are more then just words. She operationalizes them to get her clients what they need and deserve. It is  a joy to recognize such outstanding individuals. In my mind, they are heroes."

About CMSA's National Awards
CMSA annually invites members to nominate fellow CMSA colleagues for the CMOY and AOSE awards. The CMOY award was established in 1993 to bring recognition to an outstanding leader of the case management profession. First awarded in 2002, the AOSE is bestowed upon a practicing case manager who exemplifies the essence of case management — innovation, creativity, collaboration, and resourcefulness. Nominations for CMSA’s 2008 National Awards will be accepted beginning August 31. For more information, view CMSA’s award web page or contact CMSA at (501)225-2229 or cmsa@cmsa.org. Postmark deadline for 2008 award submissions is February 14, 2008.