Professional care managers plan and coordinate care for those who require assistance. People sometimes confuse them with case managers. Both case managers and care managers play key roles in providing such care, but in different ways.
Understanding the difference between a case manager vs. care managers necessary to make the proper choice on the type of care you need for yourself or a loved one. That’s a group that typically includes those who need support in day-to-day life at home or customized care for coordinating plans and accompanying people when they travel.
Differences and Similarities With Case Manager vs. Care Manager
The choice between case manager vs. care manager might provide a roadblock for some who are confused between the roles each plays in the healthcare system. While the two share some similarities, they have key differences. The following provides an overview of both.
Who Is a Case Manager?
A case manager is often called a nurse case manager. The term “case management” has been around much longer than care management. It refers to healthcare professionals who coordinate a patient’s overall care.
A case manager typically works directly for a clinic, hospital, or outpatient care facility. The American Case Management Association is a professional community of care management professionals who provide care for people in many different situations and with a wide range of services.
The Nursing Case Management Review and Resource Manual refers to case managers as those who “focus on care coordination, financial management and resource utilization to yield cost-effective outcomes that are patient-centric, safe and provided in the least restrictive setting.”
Case manager duties may include:
- Developing a patient recovery plan and monitoring its progress.
- Advising clients and their families on critical decisions.
- Making the recovery process more efficient, including building relationships with other medical professionals.
- Providing healthcare-related financial advice to clients and their families.
- Encouraging a holistic approach to recovery.
- Monitoring the patient’s emotional well-being and keeping them motivated.
Who Is a Care Manager?
A care manager works directly with patients, creating care plans that help them through various stages of care. Organizations like the Aging Life Care Association® offer consultation, assessment, care coordination, and advocacy to help individuals and their families find care managers who often work directly for the patient or with private agencies. They provide direct support to their client, taking an active role in each stage of care.
Care managers usually work with patients in their homes or during travel. They may work as a liaison between insurance and healthcare providers, managing medications and researching treatment options. Care managers work with a variety of job titles, including geriatric care managers, nurse concierge, and professional patient advocate.
Typical tasks of a care manager include the following.:
- Visiting patients in their home to assess their health and wellness progress and discuss any changes needed to their healthcare plan and medications.
- Assessing a client’s medical care, including its suitability and legality.
- Ensuring patients know their rights and ensuring that the health plan is meeting those rights.
- Offering professional advice and information to patients, their caretakers, and loved ones.
Choosing the Right Support: Case Manager vs. Care Manager
While both case managers and care managers focus on improving patient outcomes, their approaches differ.
Case managers are often tied to healthcare institutions, concentrating on coordinating medical services, financial considerations, and resources within the healthcare system.
Care managers, on the other hand, work more directly with individuals and families, designing support services for daily living needs, advocating for patients, and often accompanying them through different stages of care. That care extends beyond hospital or clinic walls.
This difference becomes especially clear when patients require assistance while traveling. For example, Flying Angels provides professional care manager services by coordinating and accompanying patients on commercial flights. Their team of experienced flight nurses ensures that travelers receive continuous medical oversight, comfort, and advocacy during transit.
By bridging the gap between healthcare and real-world needs, companies like Flying Angels exemplify the hands-on, personalized approach that sets care managers apart. They give patients and their families peace of mind, whether at home or thousands of miles away.
