About The Position

You Matter Here! Heywood Healthcare values our employees! We offer competitive wages, great benefits and generous earned time off. Come work where you will matter! We are committed to equitable and transparent compensation practices. The salary range for this position reflects our good-faith estimate of base pay at the time of posting. Final compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including relevant experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity. We regularly review our compensation structures to ensure fairness and consistency across our organization.

Requirements

  • Current Massachusetts Registered Nurse License
  • Proficient computer skills required
  • Previous UR/QA experienced required
  • Must have effective written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills
  • Excellent critical thinking
  • Ability to multitask and flexibility essential
  • Discharge planning experience as it pertains to the care transitions, referral process, patient preference/choice services, patient & family satisfaction, post discharge follow-up etc.
  • Provides administrative and Swing Bed admission oversight responsibilities; leadership experience a plus.

Nice To Haves

  • BSN preferred
  • 2 years of healthcare experience within the Acute Care, SNF, HHA, Behavioral Health and/or Insurance Industry preferred
  • Interqual experience or equivalent preferred
  • Meditech Expanse experience preferred

Responsibilities

  • Perform utilization management, including utilization review and care transitions & coordination. Provide clinical information to payers, monitor length of stay, seek necessary care authorizations, and utilize the InterQual Program; appeal denials as indicated within a timely fashion.
  • Review all new admissions and Observation patients within 24 hours of admission against High Risk Screening Criteria and document outcome within the UM EMR.
  • Follow up on lack of documentation for medical necessity, supporting documentation with discipline identified. Track and trend opportunities for improvement resulting in late Insurance Reviews, longer lengths of stay; including educating providers to Interqual Criteria used for determining Admission or Observation status.
  • Complete utilization reviews daily and/or as required by insurer, (concurrent and retro) for medical and/or psychiatric appropriateness according to Hospital's approved criteria timely and efficiently.
  • Assess, intervene, evaluate and determine level of care to establish accurate admission and/or observation status; demonstrate basic knowledge of DRG reimbursement, evidenced by standardized measures for length of stay and acuity level status designation.
  • Demonstrate clinical expertise specific to the issuance of ABN/HINN notice to patients and/or legal significant other and care progression. Keep physician and team informed of status change and document status.
  • Provide education and information to patient, family and care providers as it pertains to continuing care, care management, LOS, re-hospitalization and assure understanding of disease management.
  • Participate in discharge planning rounds daily.
  • Work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team to determine each patient's needs concurrently including post-acute care when needed; address LOS issues, appropriate leveling of patient status; address potential needs, resources, referrals for other disciplines etc.
  • Review medical records for abnormal findings, complications, delays, and deviations from expected clinical outcomes reports such to Provider and/or Director to maintain an efficient, cost-effective episode of care for each patient and document intervention provided.
  • Acquire knowledge to keep up with changes in technology and regulations.
  • Utilize knowledge to redesign systems for improving performance.
  • Continuously prioritize projects, activities, and tasks to ensure deadlines and customer needs are met.
  • Assist with the preparation of reports/statistics as it pertains to staff-specific workflow.
  • Complete assessment of denial within 1 week providing supporting documentation with outcome of review; document intervention in the UR EMR section.
  • Prepare written appeal letters, termination letters, discharge notices, MOON and IMs when appropriate as per regulatory standards and department policies.
  • Report any variances, trends to director.
  • Submit denials/appeals when completed to the department secretary for processing.
  • Build rapport and respond to needs of physician, reviewers for managed care plans, healthcare team members, 3rd party payers, outside reviewers and vendors to enhance internal and external customer service satisfaction.
  • Responsible for completing nursing sections of the SNF Level of Care forms for Mass Health patients in need of care, SNF placement, timely and efficiently and other forms assisting in transition of care as identified and collaborates with the social worker. In the event of an emergency, Care Coordinator may complete the form in full and process it to help expedite discharge planning process and length of stay.
  • Complete discharge planning assessments timely, efficiently and completely following regulatory standards and departmental policies assuring appropriate patient flow.
  • Appropriately level patient for home discharge with or without services or to another type of facility such as a SNF, Acute Rehab etc.
  • Develop, coordinate and implement discharge plan on cases assigned with patient and/or family/so caregiver. Identify patient preference and selection choice for HHA/SNF placements having patient preference form checked off and signed/dated by patient and/or so.
  • When plan is in place, notify provider, establish and determine anticipated readiness for discharge, keeping patient/family/so informed and documenting such in the EMR.
  • Close case out using appropriate forms for transition of care communication timely and effectively.
  • Collaborate with the team to assist the Multidisciplinary Team in providing discharge planning activities to assist in expediting a patient’s discharge as part of the care transitions process.
  • Remain current and proficient in the discharge planning process in the event coverage is needed.
  • Cover referrals from the Emergency Department for discharge planning & HRSN information & referral services.
  • Develop standardized process for screening referrals for potential placement timely and efficiently.
  • Work closely with referral sources to maintain positive working relationship with both internal and external referral sources to market Swing Bed Program to ensure occupancy is at budgeted level.
  • Maintain current education and knowledge of payment sources and admission regulations.
  • Work closely with Rev Cycle Team including Director of Finance to obtain Single Case Agreements and verify current status of SNF benefit coverage prior to admission.
  • Confer with Admission Team, Nursing Manager or designee, and Provider (Hospitalist) on referral for acceptance or denial decision and notify referral source timely & efficiently.
  • Complete admission paperwork within the established timeframes.
  • Keep abreast of department policies and procedures for both Critical Assess, Acute Care, and Swing Bed regulatory requirements by TJC,CMS, DPH, DMA, etc to assure compliance to standards.
  • Plan and coordinate three community marketing programs annually for outreach & referrals.
  • Responsible for Swing Bed Performance Improvement Activities by referral and payment source; admissions, and discharges; monitor LOS; of referrals received rate of acceptance by source by admission or denial.
  • Maintain Department data for each fiscal year on metrics using both the Care Management Module and BCA reporting for both CM & Swing bed program.
  • Perform any and all other duties as assigned by director and/or designee.

Benefits

  • competitive wages
  • great benefits
  • generous earned time off
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