23 Sep A Helping Hand: Chronic Care Management at Munising Memorial Hospital
Managing all your medical needs can be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Patients living with more than one medical condition now have the option to enroll in the Chronic Care Management program at Munising Memorial Hospital’s Bay Care Rural Health Clinic.
What is a “chronic condition”?
A chronic condition is an ongoing, long-lasting health condition, which requires continual management and treatment. Left untreated, a chronic condition can hinder independence and negatively impact health. The chronic care management program, or CCM, is available for patients that have conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, and so on.
Why CCM?
From routine health maintenance, advice from specialists, and changes in medications, when a patient has several chronic diseases, keeping track of everything can be daunting. The CCM program was designed to give patients greater support and access to care between office visits, even while at home.
You may be seeing different types of doctors or taking several medications and for every medication you take, it’s important to know how it reacts with other medications. For every doctor you see, there are test results or health information that needs to be shared. When your care is coordinated properly, your doctors get the information they need when they need it.
Care Coordination
Bay Care offers CCM to help patients navigate through the challenges of treating several diseases at the same time. Once enrolled in the program, patients receive monthly telephone assistance from a Bay Care Nurse in between their regular appointments, extending patients care outside the four walls of their doctor’s office to ensure they maintain the best possible health.
Each month care coordinators call their patients to:
-Assist with scheduling appointments, lab tests or other tests
-Explain how and when to take your medications
-Coordinate any home health or medical equipment needs
-Connect you with health education resources, services and programs
-Identify available community resources
-Coordinate follow-up care after leaving the hospital
-Access other support services you need to stay well
What does the program cost?
Upper Peninsula Health Plan, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Medicare all cover this service. Though, depending on your plan, there may be a small balance with Medicare.
How do I enroll?
Call Bay Care at 906-387-4338 to learn more about how you can benefit from the CCM program and obtain the answers to any questions you may have. Office hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
