This session will discuss the roles and functions of staff in a case management department that are needed to support the department’s goals through collaborative professional processes. The skill sets and characteristics for the role of the RN case manager and the social worker will be reviewed, as well as identifying the most contemporary functions needed to respond to changes brought on by healthcare reform and public reporting of healthcare data. It is the challenge of every case management department to determine how to optimally use these valuable resources and knowledge to achieve positive and sustainable outcomes. Integration of these professionals has also been shown to improve patient satisfaction. Through appropriate design, each discipline’s unique talents can be best optimized, also enhancing their own personal job satisfaction. This program will also discuss methods for the identification of patient assignments, staffing ratios, rounding, and other practical strategies for the successful integration of these two vital roles.Case management models have continued to evolve over the past 25 years and with that evolution, the roles of the RN case manager and social worker have also evolved. Early models of acute care case management were designed without integrating or clearly defining the roles and unique skill sets of each discipline, This resulted in role confusion as well as less than adequate use of each discipline in their contributions to the case management team. Clearly optimizing each discipline’s educational preparation allows them to work at the top of their license’. As the roles of each discipline have been more clearly defined, each professional can enjoy greater satisfaction and improved outcomes in their daily practice.Learning ObjectivesDiscuss the key roles and functions of the nurse case manager and social workerReview the daily workflow for each discipline, including the identification of high-risk patients for referral to the social workerDescribe the best ways to optimize the unique skill sets of each discipline to achieve effective outcomesIdentify the impact these two groups of professionals can make on a case management department’s outcomesWho Should AttendDirector of Case ManagementRN Case ManagersDirector of Quality ManagementDirector of Social WorkSocial WorkersHospitalistsPhysician Advisors