Admissions Counselor Acute

Acadia•Wesley Chapel, FL

About The Position

The Admissions Counselor is a clinical professional responsible for facilitating admissions, clinical intake assessments, and utilization review processes to support continuity of care at the most appropriate level and appropriate use of patients’ benefits and resources. The role responds to inquiries, builds therapeutic relationships with patients and families, reviews benefit eligibility, coordinates referrals and admissions, and collaborates with medical and psychiatric personnel on care recommendations. The counselor completes pre-admission assessments and documentation, consults with the admitting physician, communicates disposition recommendations, and completes initial treatment authorization when possible and within payor guidelines. The role also completes registration and admission paperwork, coordinates follow-up care for people who are not admitted, addresses patient concerns, and helps ensure patient safety, including conducting safety checks and following required supervision intervals.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a social services field, if permitted by the state.
Current licensure as preferred for the area of clinical specialty, as designated by the state in which the facility operates.
CPR and de-escalation/restraint certification; training is available upon hire and offered by the facility.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a social services field, such as psychology, counseling, social work, sociology, health administration, or nursing, or an RN credential.
One or more years of experience in mental or behavioral health working with individuals in a clinical or observational capacity.
First aid, depending on state or facility requirements.

Responsibilities

Respond to inquiries about the facility within facility policy timeframes.
Develop therapeutic relationships with patients and families.
Verify benefit eligibility and communicate it to the business office and the patient or significant other.
Collaborate with facility medical and psychiatric personnel on recommendations for pending referrals.
Coordinate admissions and transfers from referral sources and between levels of care within the facility.
Maintain knowledge of milieu management.
Promptly communicate projected admissions to designated internal representatives.
Obtain clinical information from referral sources or patients, including medical comorbidity information, before admission when possible.
Schedule and complete pre-admission assessments when applicable, consult with the admitting physician, and communicate disposition recommendations to the patient or family.
Prepare and maintain medical record documentation to support authorization for the requested level of care.
Complete initial pre-authorization for treatment and admission before admission when possible and within payor timeframe guidelines.
Register patients in the registration and accounting system and complete admission and consent forms with them.
Maintain a positive, empathetic, and professional attitude toward customers; acknowledge and work to resolve complaints when patient needs are not met.
Coordinate care and appropriate follow-up services and referrals for patients who are not admitted.
Act with urgency regarding patient safety and provide excellent customer service.
Conduct safety checks and ensure supervision at 15-minute intervals, as specified in special precautions, or according to individualized supervision guidelines.
Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.