Bartlett Regional | House Calls | Spring 2018

Helping you navigate health care By its very nature, a visit to the emergency department (ED) can be disorienting for a patient. What comes next can be just as jarring. Patients may need help with filing for insurance payments, substance abuse treatment options, or transportation. They also may have follow-up questions or concerns. That’s where case managers come in. What is a case manager? In a small office within the ED is Claire Geldhof, RN, Nurse Case Manager. Halfway into her 10-hour shift, she sits on a bouncy ball chair at a computer with a long list of patients from the previous day. She picks up the phone and dials. Geldhof is following up with the family of an infant who was brought into the ED. “Hi, my name is Claire, and I’m a nurse case manager in the emergency department at Bartlett Regional Hospital. I’m calling for the family of Sonia. You guys were in the ED yesterday. It sounds like it was a tough day with her falling off the couch. How is she doing?” Sonia’s mother reports the baby is doing fine and has a follow-up appointment with a primary care doctor that day. Case managers are patient N “Great,” Geldhof says. “Did you have any questions about the care you received yesterday? If you have any questions or concerns or need any help with resources follow-up, you can call me back. And if your doctor has any questions she can also give me a call. You guys have transportation to your clinic appointment today?” Once Geldhof is assured they have transportation, she moves down the list. The next call is to the family of a toddler taken to the ED with an apparent case of stomach flu. “Do you have any questions about your visit yesterday or the care you received? No? OK. Remember that it’s really important to continue with hydration and giving him lots of water, plus things like bananas can help replace some of what he lost throwing up.” Helping patients get the care they need Other patients are more complicated. Earlier, Geldhof was out in the department helping a middle-aged man who was experiencing homelessness. This patient had untreated diabetes, was taking methamphetamines and had lost privileges at a local health clinic because of unpaid bills and lack of health insurance. “I was talking with him about amphetamine levels and the effect on the brain in really simple language— not using medical terms,” she says. NEED A DOCTOR? We can help you find a provider that fits your needs. Visit www.bartletthospital.org and click “Find a Provider.”