Discharge Planning Associate

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center • Altoona, PA

104d • $25 - $40

About The Position

UPMC Altoona is seeking a full-time Discharge Planning Associate to join the Clinical Care Coordination and Discharge Planning team, dedicated to caring for patients throughout their UPMC treatment journey. This position will work Monday through Friday, 8am - 4:30pm, with rotating weekends. In this model, roles are reimagined and expertise is combined to deliver the best care and personalized experiences for our patients. RNs and social workers function equally in discharge plan roles, serving as the central point of contact through a patient's care delivery, in partnership with a Physician or APP. Become part of a multidisciplinary team committed to improving care coordination and developing more efficient, progressive discharge planning processes.

Requirements

• Diploma or Associate's Degree in Nursing OR Bachelor's degree in social work or another health or human services field.
• No license required.
• 2 years experience in a health care related field strongly preferred.
• Prior case management/care coordination experience preferred.
• Excellent communication skills required.
• Must be skilled in planning/organization, follow up/control, problem solving, self-development orientation, organizational behaviors/competencies.
• Proficient computer skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in discharge planning/care coordination.

Responsibilities

• Identify clinical, psychosocial, historical, financial, cultural, and spiritual needs that guide the planning process with the patient to attain optimal outcomes.
• Evaluate patient/family/caregiver level of understanding and engagement with the progress toward goals and incorporate findings into the plan of care.
• Complete detailed assessment on every patient to establish understanding of medical and social factors, determine patient's capacity for self-care, identify support systems, outline barriers to discharge, and determine likeliness of requiring post-hospital services.
• Facilitate teams to develop and execute safe and efficient discharges.
• Engage in clear communication with the patient/member/caregivers as well as the interdisciplinary care team to develop discharge plans.
• Serve as a contact between hospitals and post-hospital care facilities as well as the physicians who provide care in either or both of these settings.
• Advocate on behalf of patient/family/caregivers for services access and for the protection of the patient's health, well-being, safety, and rights.
• Manage cost of care with the benefits of patient safety, clinical quality, risk and patient satisfaction to provide recommendations and decisions that ensure optimal outcomes.
• Document care in patient medical chart.
• Provide staff orientation and mentoring as appropriate.

Benefits

• $6,000 sign-on bonus for eligible roles with a two-year work commitment.
• A designated career ladder designed to support career advancement.
• Flexible schedule options.
• Up to 5 ½ weeks of paid time off and 7 paid holidays.
• $6,000/year in tuition assistance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Hospitals
• Education Level: Associate degree