Rehab Conference Addresses Health Care Issues
by: Jackie Birmingham

May 22, 2002 found more than 150 people gathered at the Troy Marriott Conference Center for the Rehabilitation Conference sponsored by Wright & Filippis. The attendees gathered from the Detroit and Lansing metropolitan areas, as well as other cities throughout the state. The title of the Rehab Conference, If Case Management is the Answer, What was the Question?, was a reflection of the overall nature of the presentations and the attempt to address the current climate of health care.

Participants listened attentively about the evolution of health care management.

Jackie Birmingham, RN, MS, CMAC, a well-known speaker and author who spoke on Peeling the Case Management Onion: The Workers' Compensation Layer, presented the opening session. This hour and a half was filled with information for both WC Case Managers and those who work with them. The Michigan scene was the focus and the complexity of working in a no-fault system was covered. The topic that produced the most interest was the fact that there are multiple layers of health care providers and a bureaucracy that complicates this very important benefit for injured workers.

Concurrent sessions offered choices to attendees and they took advantage of the opportunities. There were 5 choices of programs and an opportunity to become certified in CPR.

• Microprocessors in Prosthetics: What Case Managers Need to Know, presented by Patrick Prigge, CP, a Board Certified Prosthetist. He focused on functional outcomes for upper and lower extremity amputees.
  
  
• Brain Injury: Overview on Preparing for Certification, presented by Pamela Lamb, BSW, MPA. Pamela covered a review of the anatomy of the brain, treatment philosophy, medical and legal issues, ethical and family perspectives in a 75-minute session.
  
  
• Attendant Care: Guidelines for Determining Appropriate Level was the topic of another session, presented by Pat Covalle, RN, CCM. This session provided an overview of functional assessment tools for determining levels of attendant care. Acuity system, functional assessment tools, behavioral issues and how to determine usual and customary rates for attendant care assistants were covered.
  
  
• Wheelchair Seating: What Case Managers Need to Know, presented by James Rees, RTS and James Zeeman, RTS
  
  
• The Diabetic Patient: Orthotic Foot Care, presented by Pamala Lupo, CO. Her session focused on the history of foot care and what we have tried to do in the past to manage this very important aspect of diabetic care. She identified methods of treatment, expected outcomes for ulcer and wound care, and spent time on reimbursement issues.
  
  
• CPR Course, taught by Lorrie Florreich-Long, RN.
  

The afternoon plenary session was titled The Rebirth of Discharge Planning. Jackie Birmingham described the evolution of this layer of Case Management and how it affects not only hospitalized patients but also the post-acute providers of care.

The program was appreciated and enjoyed by everyone who attended. The overall atmosphere of networking was very much appreciated by attendees, speakers and exhibitors. The program was approved for case manager certification and nursing education hours, with over 544 awarded.

A special thanks to the conference team at Wright & Filippis for working so hard to put on such a successful program.