Calling in the Troops

My folks have a new doctor and a new insurance company and a new case manager – and in one of life’s strange ironies, I know her. Vivian was part of the client team I worked with as part of my (former) healthcare management job. I managed their account.

I feel like I’ve been screaming “fire” in a crowded theatre and someone finally heard me. She spent 90 minutes talking to my mother. She spent an hour talking with me. She read everything I sent her, and she follows up within minutes. She is badgering the doctor’s office to get referrals processed, she is recommending a home health nurse twice a week, she is sending a social worker once a month, and she is assigning the same driver to transport them to medical appointments for consistency. She is strongly advocating that they reconsider the move to the retirement community. She thinks my mother is smart rather than annoying. My tears are dripping with relief - not that I expect miracles, but at least someone else is monitoring the mess.

I would like to think that this kind of focused attention would have happened anyway, because it’s a good health plan (and I know a lot about health plans). However, I suspect my mother was put on VIP status because of my involvement. As long as she gets intervention, in the end it doesn’t matter.