Title Protection and the Case Manager

In one of the final concurrent sessions of the conference, Lynn S. Muller, RN, BA-HCM, CCM, JD, spoke about the critical importance of title protection for case managers. According to Muller, title protection is a legal designation for which there are consequences. If one holds oneself out to the public as a doctor, nurse or social worker without meeting state mandates, that person may be subject to punishment/consequences, she said. 

In 2010, CMSA defined the professional case manager as "a qualified individual who provides case management services." Muller noted that CCMC also adopted broader criteria to permit more social workers to qualify to sit for the CCM exam. However, she said, no one who must be supervised in all their actions should be considered a professional case manager. 

Why does it matter whether or not case managers are professionals? Muller listed the following reasons: 

• Independent Practice is only available to professionals
• The Intimacy of the relationship makes the public vulnerable
• The Public has a legal and moral right to expect professional practitioners
• Those who are not professionals are not responsible to adhere to the Standards of Practice and not subject to professional liability/malpractice. 

According to Muller, "A ‘Case Manager’ name tag/title tells the patient/client/public/colleagues that you are a licensed professional, educated and skilled to meet patients’ needs and coordinate care in their best interest." 

Title protection, she concluded, isn’t about protecting turf—"It’s all about protecting the public."