Discharge Planner

Title of Job:                        Discharge Planner                                            

Status/FLSA Status:         Full-time, Exempt

Reports to:                         Director of Quality, Infection Prevention, and Employee Health  

Location:                             Mason District Hospital

Date:                                     3/8/2023

Primary Function: Provides, coordinates and facilitates patient care in the following areas: discharge planning, swing bed, utilization review and ACO activities in the hospital setting.  Assists the hospital team in coordinating patient care from admission throughout the hospital stay, discharge and continues after discharge.   Assists with organizing services across provider lines between team members and systems to affect optimal patient outcome, achieve continuity of care, reduce costs and reduce readmissions.   Serve as a utilization management resource to determine appropriateness of admission, level of care and continued stay.

Responsibilities: Swing Bed Coordinator, Discharge Planner, Utilization Review Nurse, ACO Hospital Coordinator

1. Identifies, initiates and manages optimal patient flow to enhance continuity of care, smooth and safe transitions, patient satisfaction, patient safety, and length of stay management.
2. Collaborates with interdisciplinary team to develop and implement a discharge plan with observation, acute and swing bed patients.
3. Identifies patients’ educational and discharge placement needs within the care plan.
4. Organizes, leads and participates in multidisciplinary team meetings.
5. Applies utilization criteria to each patient, to validate continued stay, level of care, readiness for discharge and refers cases that do not meet criteria to the Medical Staff.
6. Maintains current knowledge of resources available in the community to support a continuum of effective services for the patient and updates MDH’s Area Resource Guide as needed.
7. Assists with obtaining referrals and prior authorizations.
8. Performs medical record review to assess for appropriateness of admissions and continued hospital stay.
9. Maintains a working knowledge of Medicare, Medicaid and other insurance rules and regulations.
10. Participates in the hospital’s quality improvement program.
11. Assists with Advance Care Planning when needed for the community and MDH.
12. Participates and acts as the hospital’s liaison for reporting needs for the ACO program.
13. Assist in ordering DME equipment for patients.
14. Reviews and updates departmental policies and procedures as needed.
15. Performs other related duties as assigned to meet the needs of the organization.
16. Foster a professional and confidential relationship with staff, encouraging open communication, trust, and a high standard of professionalism within the department and the hospital.

Qualifications:

1. Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the State of Illinois.
2. Associates Degree or Diploma in Nursing is required.
3. BSN preferred.
4. 2 years of clinical experience is required.
5. Valid CPR/BLS certification is required.
6. ACLS and PALS certifications preferred.
7. Prior case management and utilization review experience including knowledge of MCG and/or InterQual preferred.
8. Ability to work with other employees possessing a broad range of personalities and computer skills.  Able to adapt to different learning styles.
9. Demonstrated outstanding ability to react calmly and effectively in emergence situations required.
10. Must possess excellent time management, organizational, and work planning skills.        
11. Requires excellent oral and written communication skills.

Physical Demands/Work Environment:

1. STANDING   75%
   1. To assist with patient care and restocking of supplies.
2. WALKING  75%          
   1. Walking to and from patient rooms/beds while giving care.                                                                                  
3. SITTING  25%         
   1. To document into the patient’s chart.
4. STOOPING/ KNEELING/ CROUCHING  75%    
   1. You are required to restock supplies and equipment.  To perform various patient care tasks.
5. REACHING  50%, HANDLING  50%                 
   1. Retrieval and handling of materials and/or equipment for patient care and treatment. Handling of paper process. 
6. SPEAKING 100%, HEARING 100%, SEEING        100%                
   1. Ability to speak, hear and see adequately for patient care, watching telemetry monitors and alarms and performance of various tasks
7. LIFTING/CARRYING
   1. You must be able to lift 25 to 50 lbs. occasionally and 1 to 10lbs. frequently.  Carrying 1-10 lbs. frequently
8. MANUAL DEXTERITY       
   1. Writing, computer operations, operating patient care equipment.