Regence Care Manager Kayla Angiono closes healthcare gaps for members needing extra support
Regence Care Manager Kayla Angiono, left; with her family at the beach.
Before she joined Regence as a care manager, Kayla Angiono, RN, BSN, CEN, worked as an ICU and ER nurse in the Seattle, Wash., area. She triaged patients in the ER and cared for patients seriously ill with COVID-19 during the pandemic.
Ready for a change, Angiono was drawn to care management for its different approach to one-on-one care.
“In the ER, you see so many people who are a product of their situation, a product of the gaps they face in day-to-day healthcare, especially people who have complex health conditions and need resources,” she says. “Being a care manager is the other side of that. I fill those gaps so people don’t end up in the ER. That’s what I love about care management.”
Close the gaps
On any given day, you might find Angiono helping educate a member—newly diagnosed with diabetes—about how to manage their condition, sharing sound, science-based information. Or she’s connecting a member to plan benefits and resources for their upcoming kidney transplant. Or she’s calling up a provider to discuss a member’s concerns with their treatment plan and how that person is not feeling heard and understood by their provider.
“I always tell people that my role as care manager is to fill the gaps that you don’t necessarily know need to be filled and to be your advocate,” she says. “Sometimes people don’t feel confident or comfortable advocating for themselves. That’s one of the biggest ‘pros’ of a care management program.”
Right care, right time, right place
Another ‘pro’ is helping members get the right care at the right time at the right place, so their health needs are met and costs remain affordable. She describes members who cycle in and out of the ER.
“They tell us things like, ‘Well, I’ve been trying to see a rheumatologist for this joint pain for months, but I can’t find anybody who can see me within six months. And so I keep going back to the ER because I’m in so much pain.’”
Angiono and her fellow care managers call around to clinics, find a doctor who can see them the next month and make an appointment on their behalf.
She advises any member who’s experiencing a gap in their care, who finds their care hard to manage and who hasn’t gotten the help they need from a Regence Customer Service Professional to connect with a care manager. (Learn more below.)
“A good portion of the people we talk to aren’t feeling well,” says Angiono. “They’re sick. Anything we can do to take something off their plate is a good thing. It’s about having someone to walk that journey with you.”
How a care manager can help you
If you or a family member ever face a new medical issue or need help with a complex one, our care managers—experienced registered nurses, behavioral health clinicians and social workers—are here to answer your questions and make sure you get the care you need.
We partner with you and your health care team to support a treatment plan based on your needs, support system and benefits. And we take a holistic view of your health, looking at how all the pieces of your care experience work together for you. We may even reach out to you proactively to offer our services.
Get extra support for your health
Regence care managers
- Offer support, information and resources
- Coordinate care among providers and help with transportation
- Answer questions about benefits and health conditions
- Make sure you’re getting the right services
- Help you navigate and manage a new diagnosis
- Help manage a complex or chronic condition
We can help with the heavy lifting of setting up care conversations and appointments—and we can provide recommendations to address any potential gaps in care. You can rest easy knowing we’re working behind the scenes as your advisor, coordinator and health system navigator.
Contact Regence Care Management
Care Management is available with most Regence health plans at no cost to members. There is no specific health criteria you need to meet. Our team is here to help you manage your health with support and confidence. To get started or ask a question, give us a call at 1-866-543-5765 or email CaseManagement@regence.com.
