Part A- Case Management of McLeods family

This report will put forth the discussion of the role of service coordinator in dealing with critical cases. A case study on McLeods family will be discussed. This is a case of emotional abuse of the children. According to Stergiopoulos et al., (2015) such case needs to be handled carefully for the sake of promoting emotional wellbeing of sufferer. There are two different parts of the report. First part of the paper will shade light on the way, through which the case of child emotional abuse can be handled systematically. Second part of the report will focus on the process of effective client advocacy.

This is purely a case of emotional abuse of children. In addition to that, this case too deals with the case of slight mental disability. As discussed by Ginter, Duncan& Swayne (2018) in order to deal with the case, it is the initial responsibility of the service coordinator to assemble all the relevant information the patient. The information must include clinical background of the patients along with their need of care. As per the case study, Jimmy is suffering from slight mental disability. Wager, Lee& Glaser (2017) highlighted that in order to mitigate the problem, it is the prime responsibility of case coordinator to apply Clinical Behavioral Therapy. This is the way, through which Jimmy can be treated appropriately.

Iuga& McGuire (2014) put stress on the fact that one of the major role, which the service coordinator play in this context, he or she can help the child with mental disability to access intervention services early. This is the way, through which Jimmy along with his parents can accomplish procedural safeguards, which is very much needed in order to promote emotional wellbeing to Jimmy.  

In the healthcare context, sharing all the relevant information related to support, care and treatment is very important factor. Panagioti et al., (2014) opined that this is the way of generating a positive perception among them related to care. However, according to case study, Jimmy is suffering from psychological challenge. Thus, it is imperative for the service coordinator to follow non-verbal communication with Jimmy in order to preserve a cordial connection with him. Yoder-Wise (2014) shaded light on the ground that sign language is the greatest way of communicating with children, suffering from mental disability. The service coordinator should show empathetic gesture to Jimmy, so that he can understand that the opposite person is not harmful to him. In addition to that, motivating attitude is also a greatest medium of communicating with the children like Jimmy.

Jimmy is a child, moreover he is not mentally fit. Thus, the service coordinator must share all the relevant information with Jimmy’s parents. The service coordinator should use verbal communication technique in order to provide Jimmy’s parents with all the relevant information related to Jimmy’s treatment. Weaver et al., (2016) commented that conduction of meeting session is the greatest way of sharing relevant information to the family members. It is the prime responsibility of service coordinator to conduct discussion session with the parents, which is the key of understanding their perception and thereby share all the relevant information with them. Lewis et al., (2016) said that asking question about the accountability of treatment is the greatest way of maintaining healthy relationship with the service user’s family members.   

Role of service coordinator in carrying out referrals

Maintaining confidentiality in the way of sharing relevant information to the patients is one of the major factors in the context of health and social care. Johnson et al., (2015) said that this is the key of ensuring ethics in the way of dealing with the patients. In the case of Jimmy, confidentiality while sharing identity of Jimmy as well as his parents needs to be maintained. According to the case study, Jimmy is unplanned child of his parents, who separated for three years ago but now negotiated for the sake of children. Such information related to Jimmy’s family must be protected. According to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), personal information of patients need to be protected.  As stated by Viswanathan et al., (2015) being the service coordinator, it is his prime responsibility of service coordinator to have detailed knowledge regarding the theoretical framework, while dealing with the information of patients. As Jimmy is mentally challenged, it is imperative for the service coordinator to offer his parents with information related to medication along with treatment. As Clinical Behavioral Technique is going to be applied to Jimmy, sharing information to the parents is also the key of getting consent from them.  

According to the case study, Jimmy is suffering from mental disability. Therefore, it is imperative for the service coordinator to monitor Jimmy effective. This is the key of taking effective steps for the sake of dealing with the challenges faced by Jimmy. As per the case study, Jimmy is facing certain academic issues. In order to monitor such issues, the caregivers must offer Jimmy with certain critical tasks such as some complicated math. This is the mode of exploring the area, where Jimmy is lacking. Abdelhak, Grostick& Hanken (2014) showed that the structure and culture of family is also a major factor in the way of monitoring patients with mental disability. From the case study, it is evident that Jimmy is abused mentally by his father. This is one of the major reasons, behind the mental issues faced by Jimmy in his early childhood. Thus, it is quite evident that understanding the root cause is a major way of monitoring patients with mental disability.

It is true that healthy relationship in between the patients and the service coordinators plays a major role in the way of ensuring accountability of services. This is the key of providing accurate treatment to the patients as per their requirements. However, there are certain factors, which may hamper the intensity of relationship in between patients and the service coordinators. Arnold & Boggs (2015) observed that lack of trust is one of the most significant reasons, for which termination of helping relationship can happen. This can arise at the time, when the service coordinators breach the confidentiality in the way of sharing personal information of the patients.

Lack of effective communication is also a major reasons, which hamper helping relationship between patients and the service coordinator. This can happen at the time, when the service coordinators take the decision related to treatment of the patients by their own without discussing with the patients along with family members. Such lack of communication can also hamper degree of patient engagement (Tahan, 2016).   

Way of communicating and information sharing with the stakeholders

In order to deal with Jimmy’s behavior, it is important to change the attitude of Jimmy’s father initially. As Jimmy is suffering from certain learning disability, which is hampering his score in academics, intensive support service needs to be provided to him. This is the key of modifying the behavior of children with learning disability. Erford (2017) showed thatperson-centered planning is one of the major aspects of this service. This means that, the service coordinator has to design personalized care for the children like Jimmy in accordance with his requirements. In addition, Johnson et al., (2015) also showed that this system can also have a firm impact on strengthening their tenacity, enabling them to lead life independence and thus reinforcing their quality of life. Team approach is also a very significant aspect of this intensive support service, through which the service coordinators work appropriately by collaborating with each other. As Jimmy is high vulnerable towards suffering from mental abuse due the aggressive attitude of his father, implementation of this support service can help the service coordinator to keep Jimmy safe out of care. This is the fundamental way of supporting him to get rid of his problem. In addition to that, this support service can also pave the way for Jimmy to overcome his learning disabilities and thereby enable him to improve his score in academics. At the same time, this service can also help in reducing anti-social behavior, which is prevalent in in Jimmy’s family.

Advocacy is one of the major aspects in the way of dealing with a critical case.  With the rapid changes in health and social care sector, this client advocacy is being considered as essential elements. In the context of patient centered healthcare approach, effective client advocacy is very much needed in terms of building strong relationship with the service users and thereby understanding their needs and requirements (Ginter, Duncan& Swayne, 2018). The fundamental aim of this effective client advocacy is to provide the service users with ongoing care, which is very much needed in order to promote their health and wellbeing. At the same time, effective client advocacy also offers the service users with all the relevant resources that are extremely important factor in enabling them to understand their treatment. The initial step of advocating the patient is to understand their needs and requirements. This is the key of determining appropriate treatment in accordance with their health related issues. Effective client advocacy is high required in the health and social care sector as it helps in protecting the rights of the patients. It is the prime responsibility of healthcare practitioners to protect both the legal and human rights of the patients, which is the key of promoting their health and wellbeing.     

Advocacy is being considered as one of the greatest skills, which professional case managers must have, as it serves them with the ability to take effective health related decision. In the context of healthcare setting, the doctors and nurses, coming from different background must work together with the intention of providing the students with high quality of care.  Thus, it is the prime responsibility of both the doctors along with nurses to use their experience, in terms of resolving any kind of negative attitude among the patients. In addition to that, the healthcare practitioners must also be committed towards maintaining trusting relationship with the service users, which is very much needed for reducing anxiety or fear among the patients and thus improve the health outcome. 

Way of sharing information ethically

Assertive attitude needs to be shown while offering advocacy to the patients. This means that, it is the prime responsibility of healthcare practitioners to show considering attitude while dealing with patients with special needs. Negotiation with the family members of patients is another significant factor of effective client advocacy. It is true that, the healthcare practitioners might face certain obstacles such as negative attitude of patients. Still, Panagioti et al., (2014) showed that he or she has to be calm and cool at the time of negotiating with the clinicians and discussing any kind of factor with them.  

Improving organizational policies and system and policies is the key step of improving client advocacy. This is the key of reducing excessive cost of healthcare and thus offers the patients with effective services in a timely manner. Effective patient advocacy is being one of the greatest sources of all the relevant information related to the patients (Ginter et al., 2018). This is the way, through which the rights and responsibility of the patients can also be protected.  

Conclusion:

Based on the discussion, it can be concluded by saying that the children with special needs must be treated carefully. They must be offered with special guidance and treatment, which is the key of promoting their emotional wellbeing. Intervention support service is the greatest way of keeping a child safe and secured from any kind of aggressive behavior.

References:

Abdelhak, M., Grostick, S., & Hanken, M. A. (2014). Health Information-E-Book: Management of a Strategic Resource. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Arnold, E. C., & Boggs, K. U. (2015). Interpersonal Relationships-E-Book: Professional Communication Skills for Nurses. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Erford, B. T. (2017). Orientation to the counseling profession: Advocacy, ethics, and essential professional foundations. Pearson.

Ginter, P. M., Duncan, W. J., & Swayne, L. E. (2018). The strategic management of health care organizations. John Wiley & Sons.

Iuga, A. O., & McGuire, M. J. (2014). Adherence and health care costs. Risk management and healthcare policy, 7(3), 35-52.

Johnson, T. L., Rinehart, D. J., Durfee, J., Brewer, D., Batal, H., Blum, J., & Gabow, P. (2015). For many patients who use large amounts of health care services, the need is intense yet temporary. Health Affairs, 34(8), 1312-1319.

Lewis, S. L., Bucher, L., Heitkemper, M. M., Harding, M. M., Kwong, J., & Roberts, D. (2016). Medical-Surgical Nursing-E-Book: Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems, Single Volume. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Panagioti, M., Richardson, G., Small, N., Murray, E., Rogers, A., Kennedy, A., & Bower, P. (2014). Self-management support interventions to reduce health care utilisation without compromising outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC health services research, 14(1), 356-367.

Stergiopoulos, V., Hwang, S. W., Gozdzik, A., Nisenbaum, R., Latimer, E., Rabouin, D., & Katz, L. Y. (2015). Effect of scattered-site housing using rent supplements and intensive case management on housing stability among homeless adults with mental illness: a randomized trial. Jama, 313(9), 905-915.

Tahan, H. M. (2016). Essentials of Advocacy in Case Management: Part 1. Professional case management, 21(4), 163-179.

Viswanathan, M., Kahwati, L. C., Golin, C. E., Blalock, S. J., Coker-Schwimmer, E., Posey, R., & Lohr, K. N. (2015). Medication therapy management interventions in outpatient settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA internal medicine, 175(1), 76-87.

Wager, K. A., Lee, F. W., & Glaser, J. P. (2017). Health care information systems: a practical approach for health care management. John Wiley & Sons.

Weaver, C. A., Ball, M. J., Kim, G. R., & Kiel, J. M. (2016). Healthcare information management systems. Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Yoder-Wise, P. S. (2014). Leading and managing in nursing-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.