What’s next? Continuing to Grow in Your Role as a Care Manager
Congratulations! You have now completed your first two months as a Behavioral Health Care Manager using Mirah. You are already supporting the program’s mission and making a difference in the lives of your patients.
Now that you have mastered the basics of your role, you may be wondering what comes next?
The good news is that you have gotten up the learning curve and know the basics you need to know to do your job well. The better news is that there is always something more to learn. As you continue to work with more patients, you will continue to build your knowledge and skills as a care manager.
Here are a few things you can do to further your development as a care manager:
Ask for help when you need it. Care management is a team-based model, so remember that you always have a team to back you up. You can’t, and shouldn’t, carry the weight of important decision-making alone. You can obtain support and guidance from your supervisor, psychiatric consultant, and/or colleagues. Nobody has all of the answers all of the time. Everyone, even very experienced and skilled care managers, need support and input from time-to-time.
Ask for honest feedback. Your colleagues, supervisor, the PCP providers in the practice, and patients themselves may all be good sources of information about your strengths and areas for growth as a care manager.
Connect with other care managers. Learning from other care management professionals is a great way to continue to develop your skills and become an expert in your role. Groups of care managers can work together 1:1 or in small groups, sharing valuable resources, learning from each other, and providing support for day-to-day challenges. Formal or informal mentors can provide you with information, coach you on skill development, and support you throughout your professional development journey.
Identify one new skill or area of professional development to work on at a time. Skills essential to care management include (but are not limited to): communication, time management, medical knowledge, technology skills, or cultural humility. Set a specific, achievable goal, such as attending 1 training, watching 2 webinars, or reading 3 articles on the topics. Experiment with using your new skills and knowledge in your day-to-day interactions with patients, as appropriate. By focusing on one skill at a time, you can achieve your professional development goals!
If you’re looking for training resources specific to CoCM, check out this guide.