What are the responsibilities and job description for the Hospital Discharge Planner/Social Worker position at Landmark Hospital of Joplin?
Make the difference in the lives of patients and their families by finding their next level of care.
Landmark Hospital of Joplin is looking for an experienced Discharge Planner/Social Worker to join our care coordination team. You'll work directly with physicians, nursing staff, patients, and families to build discharge plans that actually stick — reducing readmissions and getting patients to the right next level of care, on time.
What you'll do as a Discharge Planner
- Assess patients' post-discharge needs starting at admission, not the day before they leave
- Coordinate placement back to their home, or discharge to the next level of care (SNFs, rehab, home health, hospice, or DME) as appropriate
- Navigate insurance authorizations and payer requirements to prevent discharge delays
- Partner with case managers, social workers, and physicians on complex or high-risk cases
- Leverage your creativity and initiative to ensure that patients' unique needs are met in the most appropriate, timely and cost-effective manner.
- Educate patients and families on care plans, medications, and follow-up steps
- Document thoroughly and stay current on CMS discharge planning regulations (including the Conditions of Participation)
What is required to be a Discharge Planner @ Landmark Hospitals
- 2-year associate degree in a health-related field or bachelor's degree (social work preferred) or clinical license such as LPN, RN, RT, PT, OT, or similar)
- At least 1 year of experience in discharge planning, case management, or care coordination in an acute care setting
- Working knowledge of payer requirements, levels of care, and post-acute resources
- Comfort managing a full caseload in a fast-paced hospital environment
- Strong communication skills — you can hold your ground with a physician and comfort a scared family member in the same hour
Why work here
- Interesting work - our cases can be complex and will put critical thinking skills and creativity to good use
- Real interdisciplinary team — you're not doing this alone
- Grateful patients, families, and coworkers. There is always appreciation for the work we do.
- Competitive pay and benefits (Aetna medical/dental/vision and a popular selection of voluntary benefits are available, 4 wks of PTO, 401k match, Company paid life/AD&D/Short & Long-term disability coverages, tuition reimbursement and more)
Apply today — we move fast on qualified candidates and can often get you an interview within [X days].
About us:
Landmark Hospitals is a privately owned, critical care hospital system with locations across the Southeastern United States. Landmark Hospitals specializes in providing the highest-level care for medically complex patients who stay with us for an average of 25-30 days. We are proud of the healing that happens here, and it is all made possible by our amazing employees. We offer our employees a collaborative, supportive work environment with competitive benefits and flexibility that can only be found in a "boutique" hospital setting.
We are committed to being an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. We perform pre-employment background verification checks.