Caring for Uninsured and Undocumented Patients

Audio Conference on CD or Audio On-Demand

Sponsored by Case Management Monthly

presented on July 15, 2009

PROBLEM

Case managers and social workers must find a way to care for and then discharge uninsured and undocumented patients in a manner that addresses their medical condition and prevents repeat and unnecessary emergency department visits, while at the same time conserving precious hospital resources. Especially in this economy, facilities must have a system in place to identify these patients, provide appropriate and cost-effective care, and provide a funded and safe transition to the next level of care.

SOLUTION

First, a hospital should understand the laws and regulations and government programs available concerning uninsured and undocumented patients. Then, a hospital should establish and maintain a dedicated and active charity committee that can coordinate the specific needs of the uninsured or undocumented population through community organizations or in conjunction with an individual's country of origin. This will guarantee uninsured or undocumented patients receive quality of care and provide a minimal strain on a hospital's finances.

LEARN FROM US

HCPro presents the 90-minute audio conference, Caring for Uninsured and Undocumented Patients: Safe and Cost-Effective Discharge Solutions featuring case manager Matt Boettcher, LCSW (St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center). Listeners will discover how to ensure their facility provides care to hard-luck patients while protecting the bottom line. Takeaways include how best to structure a committee equipped to handle such cases, as well as valuable forms and letters you can use at your facility to establish proper documentation.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the conclusion of this audio conference, you will be able to:

• Recognize the big picture view of the uninsured dilemma and how specific regions are being affected
• Determine the services and types of patients that can be covered by the government
• Identify creative and alternative options for providing care to uninsured patients
• Implement a charity committee to handle complex and/or unfunded discharges

TAKE A LOOK AT THE AGENDA

• The uninsured dilemma: Growing implications for hospitals
• National picture of the uninsured
• The new "medically poor"
• Undocumented aliens
• Location
• Regional differences
• Exhaustion of benefits
• Medical repatriation to country of origin
• Politics
• Alternatives to hospital care
• More generous or more restrictive Medicaid programs
• Government vs. community programs – services in the community which may be dependent on grants/tax revenue.
• Universal healthcare
• Losing money by not spending money
• Federal regulations
• Non-profit hospital
• Charity programs
• Criteria for community benefit
• Solution: Implementing a charity committee
• Complex case examples with charity committee intervention: Strategies to handle difficult discharges
• Community discharge of unfunded patient
• International discharge case
• Question and answer session

BONUS TOOLS

With this audio conference, you'll receive a slide presentation of the program materials and several tools, including:

• Decision letter form
• Charity request letter
• Financial assessment form
• Letter of agreement
• Consulate letter

MEET THE SPEAKER

Matt Boettcher, LCSW, director of case management, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center (Phoenix, AZ). Boettcher manages the largest acute care hospital in Arizona and the flagship hospital for Catholic Healthcare West. He is a published author on family support in intensive care units, and has served on the Field Advisory Board for the Arizona State University School of Social Work along with serving as a field instructor. Boettcher is a frequent lecturer on a wide range of topics including development of RN/MSW case management teams, coordination of health care needs for undocumented aliens, programmatic charity care, denial management, and reducing length of stay in high acuity patients.

WHO SHOULD LISTEN?

Professionals employed by acute-care facilities, including the following titles and departments:

• Director of case management
• Case manager
• Hospital administrator
• Social worker
• RN
• Hospitalist/finance staff
• Director of community benefit

AUDIO ON-DEMAND

In addition to the regular purchase options for HCPro audio conferences, we are pleased to offer another option, audio on-demand. Audio on-demand allows you to download the program and play it back at your convenience through your computer or MP3 player. Purchase a CD or audio on-demand of the program and listen when you can. It's also a perfect training tool for new staff or as a refresher for veteran staff.

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