Field Case Management
Meet Stacey Meyer-Gaede, RN, CCM
An experienced workers’ comp case manager who has developed strong relationships with the best providers is a valuable asset for any injured employee. That’s what a 43-year-old woman learned when Stacey Meyer-Gaede, a Genex field case manager, was assigned to her case.
The Case
A non-English speaking Hispanic female sustained a lumbar spine with lower extremity radiculopathy injury while performing her job at a beef packaging company. She was initially treated solely by occupational health and pain management providers to manage pain symptoms and for medication management. Recovery stalled as the employee continued to experience extreme back pain which radiated down her leg. Meyer-Gaede was assigned to the file nearly two months after the incident.
Case Management Impact
Meyer-Gaede quickly coordinated the appointments with pain management and translation services. Because of her positive relationships with the local providers in the area, Meyer-Gaede was able to quickly assign the appointments with an interpreter present at every meeting. She identified the treatment time frames for the injury utilizing ODG guidelines and compared the provider’s treatment plan with medical resources and guidelines.
Outcome
Meyer-Gaede’s knowledge and experience in the field helped her identify specific issues that needed to be addressed by the providers. Because of this, surgery was avoided and the injured employee started to experience favorable results through the pain management protocol. Working with the providers, Meyer-Gaede outlined the plan of action, and a modified duty release was obtained. Subsequently, return to work full duty was accomplished with the worker gradually increasing her hours.