Hospital Case Mangement

My hospital has closed the Utilization Review department (an all RN
dept) and has changed the Social Work department into a Case (Care)
Management department. They have cross trained the staff so everyone
does UR and DC planning. Almost all of the RNs have left. As a
result we have an almost entirely SW based Care Management department
and Utilization has been put on the back burner. Does anyone know of
any guidelines stating the UR/UM is a nursing function? By having
social workers interpret the medical record and provide a summary of
the patients care to and insurance company are they practicing nursing?

Hospital Case Mangement
27 Sep 2008	suzannemiami

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