As the healthcare landscape increases in complexity and regulation, one rapidly expanding healthcare role is that of a case manager. Case managers provide long-term patient support and are an increasingly popular career option for registered nurses (RNs) seeking remote roles and alternatives to providing front-line healthcare. If you’re thinking of a career as a remote case management nurse, below are answers to some common questions.
What is a Remote Case Management Nurse?
RN case managers work from home to coordinate high-quality, cost-effective healthcare plans focused on optimizing patient outcomes. Serving as a patient advocate, case managers collaborate with a variety of healthcare professionals and community resources. Together, they develop and implement customized care plans designed to meet each patient’s unique needs.
Patients receiving these services are usually geriatric, involve serious injury, or are managing a chronic illness. Remote case management nurse jobs also involve guiding and educating patients and caregivers, scheduling and following-up on patient medical appointments, and liaising between patients and insurance providers.
While some remote case management jobs can be completed entirely from home, there are many instances where in-person assessments and on-going monitoring will be required.
Are There Different Types of Remote Case Management Nurse Jobs?
There are a variety of different types of specialized remote case management nurse jobs available:
- Patient Population: Case managers can specialize by the population served, such as developing an expertise caring for geriatric or pediatric patients.
- Specialized Services: Another way to specialize is by choosing a service area, for example providing home healthcare, patient rehabilitation, or hospice care.
- Length of Time: There are also variations in the time that a patient will need assistance. Some only require short-term help such as with recovery from injury or surgery, while some require long-term help such as with a chronic illness.
- Disease/Injury Specialization: Case managers can also specialize in the type of diagnosis received by the patient for example, cancer, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, or mental illness.
How Does Case Management Relate to Nursing?
The role of a case manager has expanded in recent years as a method for improving the efficiency of service coordination. Case managers ensure the selection of effective treatments and maximize reimbursements from insurers and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to care providers. In addition, case managers maintain compliance in an increasingly regulated environment. Therefore, while not all case managers are registered nurses, many positions require RNs due to their hands-on familiarity with utilization reviews, discharge planning, and service coordination.
What are the Pros and Cons of Remote Case Management Nurse Jobs?
As with all positions, case manager jobs from home have both pros and cons. Below are some points to consider when deciding if a career as a case management nurse is a good fit for you.
Pros of Remote Case Management Nurse Jobs
- Regular Hours: RN case managers typically work standard 9-to-5 business hours. No more shifts on evenings, nights, weekends, or holidays!
- Holistic Approach: Assisting patients with coordinating all aspects of the care they require and guiding them through the healthcare system be a great source of job satisfaction.
- Patient Relationships: Case managers typically work with the same clients over a long period of time. Many RNs enjoy this opportunity to develop deeper patient relationships.
- Less Strenuous: Most nursing positions are physically challenging. As a case manager, much of your work is conducted at a desk using a computer.
- Multiple Practice Types: As a remote RN case manager, you can find employment in a variety of healthcare environments, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, and insurance providers.
- Multidisciplinary Teams: Case managers work with a wide range of professionals, including medical professionals, social workers, and community service providers.
Cons of Remote Case Management Nurse Jobs
- Challenging patients: Working with individuals with long-term health conditions can be difficult. Case managers need to be very patient and compassionate over a long period of time.
- Delivering bad news: As the main point of contact between the patient and insurance company, you are frequently the one that will deliver any bad news regarding insurance coverage.
- Compassion Fatigue: Like other healthcare professionals, the cons above can lead to compassion fatigue over time.
- Workload: Large caseloads and the amount of work required to manage services for this type of patient can be overwhelming.
- Reporting & Documentation: There is a great deal of paperwork that comes with a case management position.
How Do I Become a Case Management Nurse?
Securing remote case management nurse jobs requires a combination of education, experience, and certification:
- Education: Most positions will require at least a 2-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). Preferably a 4-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
- Licensure: Following graduation, becoming a registered nurse is the next step. For this you must pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) available via the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. After passing this exam, you can apply for an RN license through your state’s Board of Nursing.
- Experience: At least 1-2 years of practical experience in a clinical setting is frequently listed as a job requirement. If you plan to specialize, it is a good idea to seek experience in that area.
- Certifications:
- Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC). This certification is open to individuals with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a health and human services field. To qualify for the test, you must have at least one year of full-time case management experience.
- American Case Management Association Certification (ACM). The certification is open to both registered nurses and social workers and requires one year of experience.
- ANCC Nurse Case Manager Certification (RN-BC): This certification is expressly for RNs and requires 2 years of full-time experience and 30 hours of continuing education.
How Much Money Do Case Management Nurses Make?
Case managers are in the medical and health services managers job category according to the Bureau for Labor Statistics (BLS). As of May 2020, the BLS reported that the median annual wage for professionals in this category was $104,280.
What is the Outlook for Remote Case Management Nurse Jobs?
According to the BLS, employment of medical and health services managers will grow 32% between 2020 to 2030. This rate is much faster than the average for all occupations due primarily to an aging baby-boomer population. And, as the demand for services increases, so does the demand for professionals to manage the provision of these services. Outpatient care is also increasing as technology improves and insurance companies seek to prevent hospitalization.
While overall growth rates are encouraging, it is important to note that there is no shortage of clinical nurses looking to get out of direct patient care. The past two years of the pandemic have resulted in record levels of burnout for healthcare workers on the front lines.
What Companies Hire for Remote Case Management Nurse Jobs?
Employers hiring for remote nurse case management jobs include hospitals, nursing homes, private healthcare facilities, and hospices. In addition, companies providing health insurance and workers compensation insurance are also major employers of remote nurse case managers. Following are examples of companies that frequently offer remote case management nurse jobs:
Rising Medical Solutions is a company that manages costs associated with workers compensation claims, auto, liability, and group health markets.
Professional Case Management is a healthcare organization that provides home health services for nuclear weapons workers and uranium workers.
CorVel Corporation specializes in delivering healthcare risk management services to employers, third-party administrators, and insurance companies.
UnitedHealth Group is a Fortune 500 company serving U.S. and global customers in almost every branch of healthcare-related services.
CVS Health Corporation is a global healthcare and pharmaceutical company. The organization operates locations that offer prescription fulfillment, MinuteClinics, and necessities shopping.
Offering regular hours and fewer physical demands, remote case management nurse jobs are a good option for RNs with clinical experience who want to find remote employment. Individuals just embarking on their career or looking to transition will require a significant amount of education and practical experience to secure these positions, but one thing remains clear — remote case management nurse jobs are on the rise.
Are you ready to make the move from frontline healthcare to a remote case management nurse job? Connect with Virtual Vocations on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube to share your thoughts and tips. We’d love to hear from you!
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