LITTLE ROCK, Ark., May 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Transitions of Care Coalition (NTOCC) announced today the launch of an enhanced website at www.NTOCC.org. The redesigned site contains a variety of new downloadable tools and information to help address transition of care challenges and to raise awareness about transitions of care. Specific content is available for various groups including healthcare professionals, consumers (patients and their caregivers), policy makers and the media. NTOCC was founded in 2006 to address the challenges and complications created when a patient transitions from one health care setting to another. NTOCC is chaired and coordinated by the Case Management Society of America (CMSA) in partnership with sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC.
"The launch of our revamped website represents an important step in the development of NTOCC," Cheri Lattimer, NTOCC Project Director and CMSA Executive Director said. "People can now find information that addresses transitions of care from their particular perspective. Tools are available so that both professionals and consumers can help improve transitions of care."
The newly released tools and resources address several important areas that impact effective transitions including:
In an effort to engage additional organizations seeking to support NTOCC's work and increase their involvement with the Coalition, NTOCC has also created an additional level of membership. Associate Members receive advanced notification of tools and resources being made available for public use and the opportunity, via a secured area on the website, to comment on coalition activities, initiatives and tools.
"The Associate Member program is the result of a multitude of requests we have received in the past year-and-a-half from a variety of groups to become more involved in NTOCC," Lattimer explained.
Organizations wanting to increase their involvement with NTOCC can submit an online application for Associate Membership. In addition, individuals may subscribe to receive e-mail updates on future NTOCC activities.
Transitions of care include situations in which a patient moves from primary care to specialty physicians or moves within the hospital including moves from the emergency department to other various departments, such as surgery or intensive care; or when a patient is discharged from the hospital and goes home or to an assisted living or skilled nursing facility. Patients, especially older persons, face significant challenges when moving from one level of care or practice setting to another in the healthcare system. During these transitions, lack of communication can result in redundant or conflicting information that often creates serious issues for patients, their caregivers and their families.
The NTOCC Advisory Board has guided the work of the coalition since 2007 and includes the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA), American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), American Geriatrics Society (AGS), American Medical Directors Association (AMDA), American Medical Group Association (AMGA), American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), American Society on Aging (ASA), American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP), AXA Assistance USA Inc., Case Management Society of America (CMSA), Consumers Advancing Patient Safety (CAPS), Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG), Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), Joint Commission International Center for Patient Safety (ICPS) ,Lipitz Center for Integrated Health Care, Mid-America Coalition on Health Care (MACHC), National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration - Long Term Care (NADONA / LTC), National Association of Social Workers (NASW), National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH), National Case Management Network of Canada (NCMN), National Quality Forum (NQF), Predictive Health, LLC, sanofi-aventis, U.S., LLC, Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM), The Joint Commission Disease - Specific Care Certification, United Health Group (UHG) and URAC.
About the National Transitions of Care Coalition (NTOCC)
NTOCC was formed in 2006 to address a serious U.S. health care issue: problematic situations which can occur when patients leave one care setting and move to another care setting. The U.S. healthcare system often fails to meet the needs of elderly patient populations during these transitions because care is rushed and responsibility is fragmented with little communication across care settings and multiple providers. These failures lead to undue burdens on patients and their families and negatively impact patient safety, quality of care and outcomes. The focus of NTOCC is to bring together thought leaders and health care experts from various settings to address this critical issue, define solutions and develop tools to address the gaps impacting patient care. Tools and resources developed by NTOCC will be made available to everyone in the health care industry including providers, payers, patients and consumers. NTOCC is chaired and coordinated by the Case Management Society of America in partnership with sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC. For more information visit www.ntocc.org.
About Case Management Society of America (CMSA)
Established in 1990, the Case Management Society of America is an international non-profit 501(c)(6) multi-disciplinary professional association dedicated to the support and advancement of the case management profession through educational forums, networking opportunities, legislative advocacy, and establishing standards to advance the profession. It is based in Little Rock, AR, and serves more than 20,000 members/subscribers and 70 affiliate and pending chapters. Since its inception, CMSA has been at the forefront of setting professional standards for the industry, which allows for the highest level of efficiency and integrity, as well as developing national and local leaders who are recognized for their practice and professional excellence. For more information on CMSA, call CMSA at (501) 225-2229 or go to www.cmsa.org.
About sanofi-aventis
Sanofi-aventis, a leading global pharmaceutical company, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions to improve the lives of everyone. Sanofi-aventis is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).
SOURCE National Transitions of Care Coalition (NTOCC)
