Case management has faced many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, to enable vital support continues to be delivered to clients. Here, in the first in a series of Q&A features with case managers across the country, Lisa Brown, managing director of Coastal Case Management, shares her experiences
How did you adapt to the restrictions of lockdown? Were you able to do this quickly or did it take a bit of time?
We were pretty much set up with remote working and had literally just got our own IT man, who was invaluable. We changed to Sharepoint so the new way of working was certainly a challenge. It took a few weeks for us to settle in to our new world of Zoom and Microsoft Team chats but I love it.
What have been the main challenges – were you able to overcome them?
It was hard for our clients, especially those with visual impairments. We set up Alexa with the voice assist for our blind patient. We set up Drop In an it was quite a shock when suddenly he would drop in! Lessons learned there for sure.
Has the use of telerehab been of benefit to you?
Massively, we have reduced travel costs and time significantly. It’s been good for the environment, as well as my back!
How have your clients responded? Was it difficult for them to adapt to?
For some they have embraced tech, for others they have not been able to engage. We were able to assess those needing face-to-face interaction, and fortunately this was allowed if medical grounds required.
Do you feel the lack of face-to-face contact with clients or/and colleagues has been damaging?
It’s hard to know the outcomes from this. I think all of our virtual INAs went really well. We were able to break down the questions and do them over several days, perhaps an hour at a time, rather than cramming it all into a visit. There are undoubtedly winners and losers. Brain injured clients and the elderly in care homes have suffered the most from lack of physical visits.
How central do you think the use of telerehab will be for you going forward?
100% we will consider this as a first step, although there are many therapies that require hands-on and a visit. You miss so many subtle things over Teams or Zoom. In the main we feel they will be very effective for monitoring and progressing treatments.
How do you think the future of case management has been shaped by the pandemic?
Our face-to-face visits will reduce significantly, so this will reduce time costs of travel and fuel. This benefits the whole medico legal system. I would love to have more MDT meetings virtually, again a massive cost saving and more people turn up. It also means less time out of clinics for many professionals. Hospital staff loved it, so for me it’s been a massive game changer.
Will you be doing anything differently within your business going forward compared to pre-pandemic?
Use of Teams and Zoom will continue, and MDT meetings will all be virtual if I have my way. We will have a more flexible working policy. Staff have in the main worked well from home, although we will keep our offices for some meetings. It is important to have human touch …
