BABICM members took part in a research study, organised by the BABICM Research Group in conjunction with Plymouth University and recently  published in the Journal of Long Term Care1.  The study showed that a good outcome in brain injury case management is client-centred and determined either by the client or in conjunction with the client, and where appropriate, their family to achieve improved quality of life1.

Commenting Jackie Dean, study co-author and Chair of BABICM Research Group said: “From the perspective of brain injury case managers we wanted to gain a better understanding of outcomes and look at how these good outcomes are achieved when working with our clients.  A huge thank you to the BABICM members who completed the online questionnaire and those that took part in a follow-up interview.”

The mixed qualitative study involved 28 brain injury case managers using both conventional content analysis and thematic analysis.  The case managers completed an online questionnaire to assess what constitutes a good outcome in brain injury case management and of these, five case managers took part in a follow-up interview.  Four themes related to brain injury case management outcomes were identified: a client-centred approach to outcome, the role of the brain injury case manager, monitoring outcome in case management, and issues of funding.

The results of the study indicated that the client determines what a good outcome in brain injury case management ought to be, but the process of agreeing outcomes can be complex.  Case managers have to be client-focused and develop a therapeutic rapport and working alliances with clients and family members, as well as with members of the multidisciplinary team.

The study also identified that brain injury case management is a holistic approach to rehabilitation and case coordination that requires further attention to develop evidence-informed practice.  There is a need to measure effectiveness by monitoring the holistic progress of the client through holistic work with clients and family members; however, a suitable measurement tool is not available.   Appropriate holistic measures of quality of life and outcome therefore need to be developed to support the evidence base for case management.

Reference
1) Lowry J, Wakeham T, Norman A, Dean J, Holloway M, Needham-Holmes B, Clark-Wilson J and Feltham-White P.  Whose Outcome is it Anyway? Outcome and Brain Injury Case Management. Journal of Long-Term Care 2022;114–129. DOI: http://doi.org/10.31389/jltc.107