A patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who needed additional oxygen tanks and who didn’t think he qualified for more through his insurance, was facing a steep decline in his health that was only going to get worse.
Codi Thomas, RN
When Codi Thomas, RN, a nurse care manager with SelectHealth, was assigned this patient, he confided in her that he’d been turning off his oxygen until he was lightheaded to conserve it.
“He’d had COVID-19 and had recovered, but the virus had set him back and increased his oxygen needs,” says Codi. “Being on Medicaid and Medicare he thought he only qualified to receive a couple tanks per month, which was no longer enough for him.”
Codi says soon after meeting with this patient, she learned about his unmet need.
“Codi is part of SelectHealth’s Healthy Connections pilot team that supports dual eligible members (Medicare and Medicaid) who are older or disabled and face financial or social determinants of health barriers,” says Mary Ann Owens, health services manager. “While these members are resilient and have many strengths, they often have profound needs as well.”
Codi says her approach with patients is to find common ground and build trust. “Initially, I asked this gentleman about what he loves to do, and I learned he enjoys going out to meet with friends and socialize.”
“That’s when he told me he’d get lightheaded,” she says. “When I heard this, I became very worried. His practice of conserving oxygen is extremely dangerous. It had resulted in an overall decline in his health, low energy, and worsening comorbidities.”
The patient told Codi he thought he only qualified for two oxygen tanks per month. “He was very calculated about saving up his oxygen as he planned his week,” she says. “He also admitted the big tanks made it difficult to get out of the house, which was his lifeline to his friends. The tanks were a nightmare to put in the car and take with him.”
Codi helped increase the man’s oxygen quantity to “unlimited” and got him a portable oxygen concentrator and smaller tanks that he can take on the go. She says making these changes required the patient to visit with a pulmonologist for tests, but he was willing.
“Because we’d established trust and a rapport, he was very motivated to work with me,” she says.
“Now that he feels better and has accomplished some health goals, he’s looking toward getting a lung transplant,” Codi says. “That’s something he never saw himself doing before. Having his needs met has upped his spirit and increased his independence.”
“Codi is a great advocate for helping our dual eligible members navigate the health system to better meet their needs and optimize their health,” says Mary Ann.
Codi adds that she likes to think outside the box and be creative when helping patients. “I’ll think to myself, ‘What can I do that would really make a difference for this person?’ I love hearing people’s stories and finding common ground. Building trust is so important.”