It’s the final day of the 25th Annual Conference and Expo, and it’s our hope that you had the experience of a lifetime. On behalf of the the CMSA Board of Directors and staff, we truly want to thank you for an incredible experience and for your dedication to the practice of case management. Take time now to mark your calendars for next year’s conference and expo, taking place in the beautiful and sunny Long Beach, California, June 20-23, 2016. 

Today begins with Concurrent Sessions at 8 a.m. followed by the Expo Hall where brunch will be served from 9:15 to 11:45. Come out for your last chance at two $500-cash giveaways and the final opportunity to meet with vendors that you haven’t yet had the opportunity. The day will round out with one more Concurrent Session block beginning at 12 noon, then two post-conference sessions that last into the afternoon. Thank you for attending this year's conference – it’s our hope that you leave feeling recharged and empowered both personally and professionally. 

The CMSA Board of Directors bestows the Lifetime Achievement Award to an individual who has made a significant contribution to practice of case management and in support of CMSA. The CMSA Lifetime Achievement Award honors Anne Llewellyn for having distinguished herself in both of these categories. 

Llewellyn took the stage and addressed attendees with a heartfelt and emotional acceptance. "The work you do as a case manager has a direct impact on how consumers access safe, quality, and cost-effective care as they go through the system," she said. She encouraged others to join CMSA, and for those who are already members, she encouraged them to get more involved in the organization. "The more you put into CMSA, the more you’ll get out of it." 

When speaking about case management and its effect on the health care system, she noted, "Every patient needs an advocate, no doubt, yet so many don’t have one."

After sharing her personal story in working through the health care system after recently being diagnosed with a brain tumor, she emphasized the importance of case management to deliver better health care. "The more you give, the more you’ll receive both personally and professionally," Llewellyn said. 

Seventy-thousand young adults diagnosed with cancer every year. They’re not quite young enough to belong in the pediatric unit, but they’re not quite old enough to relate to other cancer patients who are diagnosed at, for example, the age of 65. Jaouad fell into this awkward category where it seems that there are so many gaps in the support system and coordination of care. 

After being diagnosed with cancer at the young age of 22, Suleika Jaouad found her voice in writing about her experiences in battling it. She now travels around the country speaking to different audiences, writes for national publications and news outlets, and is a strong advocate for improving health care’s fragmented system. 

In addition to finding strength through her writing, she also said that her caregivers were instrumental in her healing. "Never 

underestimate the power of a small act of kindness," Jaouad said. "My nurses and caregivers gave me the strength I needed."

Life, Interrupted chronicles her experience from chemotherapy appointments to losing her hair and everything in between. "We all deal with interruptions – whether it’s cancer, unemployment, the loss of a parent," she said. "We all have interruptions; it’s not the interruptions that make our lives more meaningful but what we choose to do with those interruptions."

Living with cancer allowed her to embrace vulnerability and how to ask for help. "Cancer allowed me to find my voice and how to advocate for myself," she said. And it’s important for case managers to realize that they’re the patients’ advocate. Jaouad confirmed this herself: "And when I was too sick, it was important to find those who could advocate on my behalf."

We all know that the health care system is experiencing change like it never has before, but at times can seem like the change in unbearably slow. Jaouad summed it up so eloquently: "Changing the health care system isn’t going to happen all at once – it’s not a ‘big bang,’" she said. "It’s the sound of a thousand little sparks, and those sparks start with you."

To learn more about Suleika Jaouad’s Life, Interrupted project, visit http://suleikajaouad.com.

See you on the show floor later this morning, where you’ll have your last chance to catch up with vendors and network with fellow attendees. Brunch will be served beginning at 9:15 a.m., so we’ll see you then! 

• Janice Perry: Giveaway sponsored by Angel Medflight Worldwide Air Ambulance 
• Jill Davis: Giveaway sponsored Coram CVS/specialty infusion services

• Hours are from 9:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
• Brunch will be served until 11:45 a.m.
• Poster viewing (PP18 – PP33) will be posted in the Expo Hall
• Many exhibitor prize drawings
• $500 cash giveaways – drawings are at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. (Sponsored by Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital and National Air Ambulance)

Judith R. Sands spoke to attendees yesterday afternoon about joining the 21st century by 'breaking down the silos and joining the lingo.' She began the concurrent session by asking, "How many work with software that forces you to do illogical steps?" The audience laughed and reluctantly raised their hands. But, in fact, software is intended to automate manual processes – to make them more efficient, reliable, and trustworthy.

Sands covered some of the benefits of health IT, including its convenience, security, clinical decision support, data quality, efficiencies, population health management, research, and personal monitoring. An effective health IT system results in decreases in cost per diagnosis, lower lengths of stay, and fewer stays, yet 38% of organizations have had to scale back at least one health IT project due to short IT staffing. 

So when assessing your own organization, ask these questions to help break down silos and move the needle in the right direction.  

1. How are clinicians and patients connected?
2. What tools are made available?  
3. Do your [company's] tools make life easier for the patients and providers?

The underlying theme of storytelling has been pivotal for me because we touch our clients’ lives on a daily basis. And we listen to and tell stories to help [our patients] along in the health care system. I think the speakers on storytelling have been very inspirational and have helped me embrace the ability to share the power of storytelling with my patients and clients. I’ve found that the overall theme of storytelling has been really outstanding, because our lives are, after all, just one big story. 

I think the most impactful session I’ve attended thus far has been Suleika Jaouad’s with Life, Interrupted. She displayed the gaps that we have in our health care system for young people very clearly. As a case manager, I can relate to that. I’ve worked with children – whether it was leukemia or sickle cell – and there’s just so many gaps and lack of coordination. And she even has me thinking about starting my own blog! 

Today's the last day to use the #CMSA2015 hashtag, so get out those smartphones and keep tweeting away!