What is Care Management and Why is it Important?

Care management ensures personalized, continuous healthcare by coordinating services across your Integrated Care Team. Your care manager is a Registered Nurse (RN) dedicated to helping you navigate your healthcare journey.

How Your Care Manager Supports You

Your care manager provides comprehensive support to ensure your holistic well-being, addressing both medical and non-medical needs. Here’s how they make a difference:

• Coordinating Referrals and Developing Care Plans: Care managers ensure you have access to the specialists, therapies, and services you need by coordinating referrals and scheduling appointments. They also create personalized care plans that consider your unique medical history, current conditions, and personal health goals, working closely with you and your healthcare team to keep your care on track.
• Providing Patient Education on Managing Chronic Conditions: Whether you’re managing diabetes, hypertension, or another chronic condition, care managers are here to guide you. They provide clear, easy-to-understand information about your diagnosis, treatment options, medications, and lifestyle changes, empowering you to take an active role in your health and maintain better control over your condition.
• Addressing Social Needs, Such as Transportation and Housing: Understanding that health is influenced by more than medical care, care managers help address social determinants of health. They connect you with resources for reliable transportation, affordable housing, nutritious food, and financial assistance, ensuring these essential needs are met so you can focus on your well-being.
• Building Strong Connections Between You and Your Care Team: Acting as a bridge, care managers facilitate communication between your healthcare providers, ensuring everyone is aligned in delivering the best possible care. This seamless coordination helps prevent delays, miscommunications, or unnecessary duplications in treatment.
• Offering Emotional Support and Advocacy: Managing your health can be stressful, but care managers are here to provide compassionate emotional support. They listen to your concerns, advocate on your behalf with healthcare systems or insurance providers, and connect you with mental health resources to ensure your overall wellness.

Your care manager is committed to helping you navigate the complexities of healthcare and providing the support you need to live a healthier, more fulfilling life.

What Makes CIHA’s Care Model Unique?

Our culturally informed approach combines medical expertise with a deep understanding of Cherokee traditions, ensuring a truly holistic care experience. That’s why we use an Integrated Care Team approach—a model that places you at the center of a coordinated network of healthcare professionals dedicated to your unique needs. These team members collaborate closely, sharing information and insights to develop a comprehensive care plan tailored specifically for you. They hold regular meetings, review your progress, and communicate openly to ensure every aspect of your health is covered—from physical to mental wellness.

Care Manager Roles Tailored to Your Needs

Explore diverse care management roles at CIHA, designed to meet the unique needs of our patients, including Primary Care, Children and Families, Tailored Care Management, and Long-Term Services and Supports.

Care Managers embedded in CIHA’s Primary Care Department collaborate with primary care providers to manage patients’ acute and chronic care needs. They focus on health promotion, disease prevention, and seamless transitions in care using tools like iCare and NC Health Connects.

CIHA’s Children & Families Specialty Program (CFSP) Care Managers support children and families involved in the child welfare system. They work closely with agencies like EBCI Family Safety and DSS to coordinate care for children with complex needs, promote family stability, and prevent foster care placement.

Tailored Care Managers assist individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD), traumatic brain injuries (TBI), or severe mental illness. They develop personalized care plans that address physical, behavioral, and social needs, from healthcare to housing and education.

Long-Term Services & Supports (LTSS) Care Managers help patients with long-term support needs enhance their quality of life. They coordinate services like personal care, assistive devices, and housing solutions to promote dignity and independence.

A Fulfilling Career Awaits

Join CIHA as a care manager and make a meaningful impact on the Cherokee community. Explore professional development opportunities, build lasting relationships, and advance health outcomes.