Care Logistics EMS Dispatcher / Care Logistics Center

Hartford Healthcare•Newington, CT

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The Hartford HealthCare Care Logistics Center (CLC) is a newly-formed entity responsible for managing patient throughput and placement across all acute-care hospitals within the Hartford HealthCare system. Utilizing advanced technology and a partnership with GE Health, the CLC addresses inquiries regarding bed availability and transfers. The center's primary goal is to ensure every patient receives the right care, at the right time, in the right place, with the right team. Staffed by registered nurses 24/7, the CLC serves as a vital resource for coordinating care throughout Hartford HealthCare. The Care Logistics Center EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Dispatcher plays a crucial role in promptly notifying and activating EMS agencies for both emergent and non-emergent patient transportation to and from HHC facilities. This position is key to facilitating the continuous flow of patients throughout the Hartford HealthCare system by employing effective verbal communication, utilizing technology for patient placement, and making swift clinical decisions. The EMS Dispatcher acts as a liaison between EMS agencies and Bed and Case Managers, applying clinical and industry knowledge to appropriately activate and track EMS resources. This role reports to the Manager of Bed Management and the System Director for EMS Network Development.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED equivalent
Certified to the minimum level of Emergency Medical Technician
Minimum of 2 years of commercial EMS experience, or emergency medical dispatching
Current CT EMT certification (minimum)
Demonstrated ability to direct and triage in a highly fluid dynamic operational environment.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and assess and triage clinical critical patient needs.
Excellent prioritization and communication skills.
Demonstrated excellence in critical thinking, communications and conflict resolution skills.
Demonstrated ability to implement, support and effectively monitor change.
Ability to collaborate with all layers of the management/administrative teams within Hartford HealthCare.

Responsibilities

Receives, interprets, intercepts and processes all emergent and non-emergent transfers into and out of the Hartford HealthCare System that requires response of an ambulance or service performed by an EMS agency.
Establishes priority of multiple EMS requests and assigns agencies in order of availability.
Communicates with EMS agencies within the Hartford HealthCare System to receive and communicate information, keeping track of EMS locations and demands on each service.
Records a variety of information compiled during a shift and logs follow-up to be done when necessary, including time stamps, data queries, and transfer delays.
Increases effective bed capacity by identifying barriers in bed assignment processes and collaborating with bed and case managers in the resolution of these issues.
Documents and reports on the timeliness of patient placement activities and issues of concern related to efficient throughput.
Provides necessary education to the clinical workforce on the use of the electronic patient placement system.
Develops effective relationships with EVS and Transport staff to support efforts to enhance patient flow and bed management.
Ensures that the desired clinical outcomes are achieved through cost-effective and efficient processes.
Achieves seamless delivery of services by appropriately involving colleagues, physicians, nurses, and other staff to ensure commitment, communication, and cross-functional linkage.
Works alongside physicians and clinical leadership in the communication of clinical issues that arise related to patient placement/flow.
Ensures successful and consistent execution of Hartford HealthCare and individual hospital’s policies and procedures.
Articulates organizational vision and utilizes resources to ensure staff commitment to organization objectives.
Provides leadership and accomplishes objectives through innovation.
Implements and monitors clinically and fiscally responsive organizational philosophies, goals, and objectives to address specific issues and support throughput efforts.
Ensures that continuous performance improvement forms a basis for efficient patient throughput.
Ensures that all clinical services work in synergy within the organization to support efficient delivery of care.
Communicates and ensures adherence to practices and procedures that are consistent with individual hospital and organizational policies and strategies.
Provides vision and leadership within the organization that builds upon a collaborative environment to support ongoing throughput efforts and improvements.
Evaluates all throughput and bed resource utilization for potential implementation of cost-effective changes.
Reviews the urgency of transfer activity to each individual hospital related to pending insurance authorization processes.
In conjunction with hospital leadership, develops, implements, and monitors systems to ensure cost-effective quality decisions are being made.
Works with EMS agencies and bed and case managers to effectively triage the clinical needs of patients to assure the appropriate resources are utilized to support patient transfers.
Collaborates with clinical management in the identification of patient needs related to changes in clinical condition, emergent transfers, and trauma calls associated with bed management activities/placement efforts.
Effectively maintains a point of clinical contact with outside referral sources to secure clinical information regarding pending transfer activity and resultant patient placement needs.
Collaborates with clinical leadership and management to define, reduce, and eliminate barriers within the system which may negatively affect patient throughput/efficient delivery of care.
Participates in the identification and implementation of strategic efforts to support patient throughput by influencing unit management and championing projects.
Supports unit/department management in the facilitation of inter- and intra-unit problem resolution.
Promotes the organization to all customers by interpreting and communicating Hartford HealthCare’s mission and values, acting as a loyal, supportive, and informed spokesperson for the organization.
Actively participates in and contributes to meetings and organizational initiatives with hospital and organizational leadership.
Provides valid, timely, and effective feedback to unit/department leadership as to management performance related to patient throughput.
Collaborates with senior leadership in regard to issues related to off-shift activity and patient placement/bed availability.
Ensures the smooth functioning of the bed management process in order to reduce wait times and avoid unnecessary movement of patients.
Ensures the confidentiality of appropriate patient, staff, and management data is maintained.
Models customer service standards and demonstrates value for all people in the work environment.
Effectively models and upholds a customer service orientation with staff to meet the legitimate needs of all internal and external customers.
In collaboration with management, ensures that customer relations standards reflecting excellence consistent with organizational policy for internal/external customers are appropriately met.
In conjunction with hospital/organizational leadership, establishes and manages a system to measure the effectiveness of issues that impact patient throughput.
Maintains a strong working knowledge of all applicable computer systems that will affect and support bed placement and transfer activities.
Demonstrates a strong ability to multitask by utilizing multiple computer systems.