Practice Evaluation in the Context of Managed Care: Case-Recording Methods for Quality Assurance Reviews

Abstract

This article discusses the practice evaluation model in the context of quality assurance reviews in managed care. Managed care demands the three essential elements of practice evaluation; namely, specified client problems and treatment goals, suitable measurements, and analysis of change. The article delineates and demonstrates two case-recording procedures that facilitate quality assurance reviews of clinical social work practice.

Utilizing a Required Documentation Course to Improve the Recording Skills of Undergraduate Social Work Students

“…Providing accurate, written records that serve the client, agencies, and managed care organizations is not an easy task and requires that social work educators more assertively educate and prepare students on professional record keeping (Corcoran & Gingerich, 1994;Kagle, 1984). Many social work courses provide components on practice documentation and attempt to integrate recording principles with theory and practice concepts (Dziegielewski, 1998).…”

Investigating the Factor Structure of a Brief Instrument to Measure Practitioners' Perceptions of Preparedness for Current Service Delivery Environments

“…Another important body of social work literature focuses on specific skills and knowledge that are perceived as necessary and their rationale for inclusion in current service arenas (Berger & Ai, 2001-A;Berger & Ai, 2001-B;Brooks, & Riley, 1996;Corcoran & Gingerich, 1994;Corcoran & Vandiver, 1996;Houston-Vega et al, 1997;Kadushin, 1997;Kane, Hamlin, & Green, 2001;Kane, Hamlin, & Hawkins, 2000;Kane, Houston-Vega, & Nuehring, 2002;Peebles-Wilkins et al, 1996;Strom-Gottfried & Corcoran, 1998;Vandivort-Warren, 1996;Volland et al, 1999). Figuring prominently in these discussions of important knowledge and skill for service environments are risk management strategies, documentation skills, mis-diagnosis, and knowledge of health insurance and entitlement programs.…”

The Impact of Managed Care on Field Instruction

“…Recording has become a more important part of practice because of an increase in litigation. Corcoran and Gingerich (1994) emphasize the skills of identifying client problems and treatment goals, measurement, and analysis of change. They feel that social wo;kprograms havenotput enough focus on recording skills and practice evaluation.…”