Medical Case Management opens doors to specialized care

MESSA’s Medical Case Management (MCM) program provides members and dependents who are diagnosed with serious illnesses or injuries with personalized support from a registered nurse.

MCM Heidi Berridge

The program’s eight nurse coordinators work directly with members to ensure they have access to the proper care to help them return to their highest quality of life. MCM also partners with two Michigan case management groups, and assigns a registered nurse external case manager to a member to provide them with one-on-one attention.

“The external case manager visits the member in their home, attends appointments with the member and coordinates with the MESSA case management nurse to meet the member’s needs,” said Heidi Berridge, a registered nurse and MESSA’s health care resources manager.

The nurses work with members who have a variety of catastrophic injuries and illnesses including head injuries, spinal cord injuries with paralysis, amputations, severe burns, cancer, ALS, multiple sclerosis and infants with complex medical conditions.

The MCM program serves 175 to 200 members a year. Enrollment in the program lasts from a few months to years, depending on the level of support needed. Members who have used the program have reported a 95% or higher satisfaction rating, Berridge said.

MESSA members can enroll in the Medical Case Management program by calling 800-441-4626. Nurse coordinators are available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to answer MCM-related questions.