Implications for case management: ensuring access and delivery of quality health care to undocumented immigrant populations

Immigrants are an integral part of the history and diversity of the United States. Now more than ever, this growing population is facing a major challenge related to the widening gap in overall healthcare access and health insurance coverage. This gap raises concerns related to access, economics, fear of detection, and cultural/language barriers to care, which extend beyond the individual person to affect the community at large. This is particularly true for those immigrants who are residing in this country illegally. Healthcare providers, in general and hospitals in particular, face many challenges in providing care to this group. As the immigrant population continues to grow, the case management community will face an ongoing challenge to expand and refine its knowledge base and incorporate key competencies into its practice patterns in order to ensure access to and delivery of healthcare to this largely underserved group. This article specifically addresses the undocumented population, and identifies opportunities to encourage and promote access to healthcare while providing effective care management interventions.