RN-Patient Placement Coordinator-Staffing Office

Job Objective:

Responsible for patient flow within the Eisenhower Medical Center and facilitation of hospital transfers while adhering to all applicable laws and regulations. Assigns patients to an appropriate hospital bed, monitors the demand for beds as needs become known through the Emergency Department, O.R., Same Day Surgery, Direct Admissions, and transfers from unit to unit within the hospital inpatient population. Provides administrative authority of accepting transfer patients to EMC. Collaborates with physician, and teams with patient/family/physician regarding transfers to higher level of care. Functions in conjunction with the Nursing Administrators, Admitting Department, Nursing Supervisor, and Nursing Unit Clinical Coordinators. Participates in capacity management and necessary triage and evaluation of patients to prioritize bed assignments. Monitors and projects bed availability based on known, predicted, or expected transfers/discharges. Receives communication from Physicians, office staff, outside facilities for admission requests.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Demonstrates compliance with Code of Conduct and compliance policies, and takes action to resolve compliance questions or concerns and report suspected violations.
• Listens to staff regarding impediment to patient placement (e.g. isolation, blocked rooms, T.B.)
• Demonstrate positive written and verbal communication skills with physicians and staff
• Communication of bed availability and predicted flow issues to clinical coordinators and Emergency Department clinical coordinators
• Open communication with physicians’ offices and inpatient facilitates for determination of appropriate patient placement
• Carries the Transfer Center Program cell phone and reviews all requests for admission and transfers for the hospital
• Triages calls from other acute care facilities requesting patient transfers to EMC; determines transfer appropriateness by reviewing requested documentation and Interqual level of care criteria and discussions as necessary with admitting physician, supervisors and/or EMC administrators and/or other EMC personnel
• Recommends referral of cases to Physician Advisor or Electronic Health Records (EHR) when admission status is questionable
• Communicates with the Financial Counselors when a patient does not meet criteria for admission so that appropriate consultation can be made and information on payment provider
• Gathers sufficient and relevant information from all sources in compliance with regulating requirements and laws, to facilitate appropriate admission to EMC in an accurate, safe, timely, and cost-effective manner
• Is responsible for communicating bed availability and predicted patient flow issues to Nursing Directors, and Clinical Coordinators. Provides communication with Physicians and their offices and outpatient facilities determining if specific patient placement is appropriate
• Collaboration with staff, early in shift, regarding physician notification of discharge needs
• Develop effective relationships to facilitate early discharge
• Directs and enhances effective problem solving
• Acts as a resource to physicians and others regarding appropriateness of admission, levels of care (including related documentation requirements and observation vs. inpatient requirements), quality of care concerns and criteria/guidelines/protocols utilized in care planning and resource utilization
• Proficient at using the EPIC Bed Placement system to assign patients to the appropriate unit, constantly monitoring the bed availability and needs of all departments
• Ensures assignments are made by matching clinical needs of patients with bed assignments based on unit admission/discharge criteria
• Effective prioritization of inpatient admissions, post-op cases, directs admits and Emergency Department needs
• Regular monitoring to ascertain potential discharges and facilitate to appropriate discharge status
• Maintains fluid discussion with appropriate unit clinical director and coordinators for bed availability placement
• Directs transporters and EVS on prioritization to achieve optimal patient flow
• Maintains Bed Placement Screen for timely information on patient admissions and location of appropriate bed
• Prioritization of post-op cases, directs admits and Emergency Department needs
• Assists in maintaining inter-facility transfer documentation logs, SBAR reports and other data as required. Ensures follow up of outstanding issues at end of shift
• Coordinates patient transfer to the appropriate level of care. Identifies and facilitates resolution of clinical and operational roadblocks to achieve optimal outcomes by identifying alternatives as needed. Communicates resulting decisions to patient/family, physicians and members of healthcare team
• Is responsible for accurately documenting all transfer inquiries in the appropriate software. Responsible for communicating with the Nursing Supervisor regarding unit maximum capacities
• Demonstrates understanding of payer prior approval requirements and the various health care delivery systems and payer plan contracts. Communicates with third party payers and/or review organization as necessary and Provide information to federal, state, and privates payers and/or review organizations so that determinations regarding benefits and coverage may be made
• Complies with regulations, standards and legislation (local, state and federal) related to the continuum of care and patient transition
• Identifies opportunities to improve care/service. Assists in development and implementation of care performance improvement plans based upon analysis of patterns and trends identified from data collection and observations
• Organizes, integrates and evaluates the effectiveness of the plan of care and progress toward achievement of desired outcomes. Modifies plan of care as patient/family needs change to accomplish goals established in the plan of care. Communicates and documents plan of care, including changes and issues related to plan of care to patient/family, physicians and other members of the healthcare team
• Support unit management in an agreed upon manner to maintain benchmark standards of productivity and stability
• Participates in EMC organization’s Bed Board and other patient flow meetings
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Essential Skils:

• Knowledge of regulations, standards and legislation (local, state and federal) related to the continuum of care and patient transition
• Knowledge of the various health care delivery systems and payer prior approval requirements/ notices of non-coverage/denial letters to patients including Medicare/CMRI, federal and state and guidelines
• Self-motivated, self-starter, and able to organize efforts around helping clients have a positive experience
• Strong clinical and critical thinking skills and ability to establish and carry out complex plans of care for key diagnoses
• Strong communication skills, particularly verbal and written
• Ability to exercises a high degree of initiative, judgment, and discretion
• Establish and maintain collaborative and effective working relationships with patients, families, physicians and other members of the interdisciplinary team
• Knowledge and ability to use established criteria for medical necessity, including Interqual guidelines