Facility: Kennestone Hospital

OVERVIEW

How would you like to work in a place where your contributions and ideas are valued? A place where you can serve with compassion, pursue excellence and honor every voice? At Wellstar, our mission is simple, yet powerful: to enhance the health and well-being of every person we serve. We are proud to have become a shining example of what's possible when the brightest professionals dedicate themselves to making a difference in the healthcare industry, and in people's lives.

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RESPONSIBILITIES

• The Lead Bed Control specialist reports directly to the Bed Control Manager. The Lead Bed Control Specialist is responsible for shift operations including patient bed assignments, clinical expertise and resource for patient logistics and decision making.
• Manages throughput through triage of patient placements from all points of entry, including but not limited to ER, OR PACU, Cath Lab, Direct Admits, internal and external transfers, and outside hospitals.
• Lead Bed Control Specialist has responsibility of standards of practice, interpreting system and department policies and procedures and ensuring quality patient care and compliance with regulatory and legal requirements.
• Responsible for patient/customer satisfaction and appropriate reporting.
• Coordinating department functions with the operations of other hospital departments to maximize throughput and interdepartmental efficiency.
• Must have the clinical knowledge and ability to critically think through complex problems and appropriately place patients.
• All Patient Logistics communications and functions will follow EMTALA guidelines and confirm that the transfer process ensures a safe and seamless acceptance of patients into the Wellstar Health System.
• Functions as the subject matter expert and is responsible for onboarding of Bed Control staff.

Interdisciplinary Teamwork and Collaboration

• Evaluation and coordination of all procedure and surgical schedules for patients requiring bed assignments pre- and post-procedure and communication of this information to the appropriate unit.
• Evaluation and coordination of all emergency department and hospital to hospital transfer requests for appropriate information and determination of placement.
• Processing of information from physician’s office for accuracy regarding direct admits for proper placement and communication of this information to appropriate unit while collaborating with Patient Flow Leader and patient access services.
• Notification of Patient Flow Leader regarding questionable admissions responsibility/function/expectation.

Resources and Support

• Coordination of unit-to-unit transfers to facilitate opening appropriate beds as needed.
• Daily communication with bed meeting members of current hospital census and bed needs.
• Ongoing critical thinking and use of clinical knowledge in determining the right place,for the right patient,at the right time.

Facilitating placement of patients in emergent situations

• Facilitating placement of patient requiring critical care placement in coordination with the emergency department, rapid response RN, and critical care departments.
• Accuracy in obtaining information to call in the On-Call Teams for either Cath Lab or CVOR, calling in team, obtaining bed placement.
• Ongoing communication with leadership regarding hospital census and bed requirements in emergent situations.

Intradepartmental Management

• Create and balance the schedule – to include tracking time off, sick days, etc.
• Maintain and approve time and payroll for the department (other departments as deemed necessary).
• Engage department in process improvement opportunities. Responsible for documentation and maintenance of process improvement projects.
• Coordinate the onboarding and training of new hires within the department.

Computer Skills

• Basic computer knowledge is required.
• Proficiency in utilization of Pre-Admit and Bed Tracking required.
• Proficiency in utilization of EPIC required.
• Proficiency in utilization of Smart Square and Kronos for schedules/payroll.
• Proficiency in use of word and excel needed for data collection and monitoring.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Minimum Education

• High school graduate or equivalent
• Graduate of an accredited/approved school of nursing: Baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN) from an accredited school of nursing preferred

Required Minimum Experience

• 2 years of healthcare work experience
• 2 years of computer/data entry experience
• Clinical knowledge and ability to critically think through complex problems and appropriately place patients
• Must have excellent computer, telephone, and customer service skills
• Able to keep accurate data to reflect patient location, bed usage, bed availability and patient flow timing with strong analytical skills to implement process improvement
• Basic computer knowledge is required
• Proficiency in utilization of Pre-Admit and Bed Tracking required
• Proficiency in utilization of EPIC required
• Proficiency in utilization of Smart Square and Kronos for schedules/payroll
• Proficiency in use of word and excel needed for data collection and monitoring

Required Minimum Skills

• Strong interpersonal skills
• Demonstrates critical thinking and decision-making skills in a fast-paced environment
• Works well with others in a collaborative, team-focused, patient centered way
• Communicates effectively both orally and in written form with all levels of internal and external resources
• Analytical skills necessary to solve technical and clinical challenges
• Sufficient clinical experience/knowledge to ensure competence and credibility in guiding the decision-making process
• Ability to communicate with various members of the healthcare team
• Ability to use EXCEL, Word and have basic computer operational knowledge

Preferred Experience

• Epic or EMR experience