How would you like to work in a place where your contributions and ideas are valued? A place where you can serve with compassion, pursue excellence and honor every voice? At Wellstar, our mission is simple, yet powerful: to enhance the health and well-being of every person we serve. We are proud to have become a shining example of what's possible when the brightest professionals dedicate themselves to making a difference in the healthcare industry, and in people's lives.

This role is a PRN/As needed and is located at our cobb hospital in Austell.

Care Coordinator experience is required.

Job Summary:

The Care Coordinator is responsible for coordination of care across the continuum during the patient's acute, chronic and long-term stages of illness for a defined patient population. This includes utilization management, transitional care planning, psychosocial and functional status assessment, patient advocacy, education for the patient/family, and monitoring quality indicators to demonstrate outcomes resulting from the service provided. Collaborates with all team members to provide a comprehensive assessment of the patient's plan of care, goal/outcome attainment and continued care needs.

It is expected that all RN Clinical Nurses are licensed, knowledgeable and uphold the practice of nursing as outlined by the Georgia Professional Nurse Practice Act and implements the Scope of Practice and Code of Ethics Standards put forth by the American Nurses Association. As a member of the patient services team, it is expected that the individual upholds the voice of the patient, System policies and procedures while supporting service excellence goals and providing and unwavering focus on exceeding the expectations of our patients and consumers.

Core Responsibilities and Essential Functions:

Assessment

- Initiates assessment for necessity and appropriateness of health services by the application of established screening criteria (e.g. Interqual)
- Assesses insurance and coverage issues such as managed care, PPO, HMO, and the identification of preferred providers
- Identifies issues relating to patient type and/or appropriateness of admission and collaborates with physician/physician advisor for resolution Disposition Planning

- Implements Discharge planning and provides resource information in a timely and efficient manner.
- Identifies and documents barriers for timely disposition
- Collaborates with other members of the health care team in planning care appropriate for age
- Provides education/counseling to patient/family in understanding, accepting and following medical recommendations of his/her conditions
- Provides assistance with Advance Directives for customers throughout WellStar Health System.
- Understands eligibility processes and criteria for both private and public local, state and federal resources
- Responds to referrals from hospital staff, physician offices, community and family to provide resource information, counseling and education to the community
- Provides financial needs assessment for patients in need of assistance for follow-up care throughout the continuum
- Provides follow-up for patients needing post-discharge assistance
- Allows for any cultural or religious beliefs in providing service and continuity of care
- Always partners with the patient and significant others (as appropriate) using such appropriate method for setting and purpose (e.g., interdisciplinary rounds, keeping the patient and significant others updated and making the patient’s goals the focus of the plan of care.) * Exemplary Practice and Outcomes
- Participates in the development of protocols and procedures when called upon or through self-initiation in collaboration with care managers and other members of the health care team to achieve best practice outcomes (i.e. decrease in re-admission rates, avoidable days, adverse events, etc.)
- Resources and Support Utilization Management

- Initiates assessment for necessity and appropriateness of health services by the application of established screening criteria (e.g. Interqual)
- Timely identification and referral for alternative level of care
- Responsible for timely and accurate certification of hospital admission
- Provides required information to payors
- Monitors and evaluates patient/client’s ongoing plan of care and facilitates modification utilizing established screening criteria to determine level of care with documentation in the computerized Utilization Management module
- Monitors and evaluates the appropriateness of managed care denials and collaborates with attending physician and managed care representative and Medical Director or VP Medical Affairs
- Monitors for compliance of Medicare/Medicaid regulations (e.g. order for patient type for billing, appropriate billing)
- Negotiates and refers for services outside of patient’s health care plan
- Evaluates and negotiates patient’s needs based on quality, cost and necessity
- Participates and supports performance improvement inclusive of all stakeholders, research and research utilization to promote safe, quality patient care including initiating and/or leading such activities as well as, promoting an inter/intra-disciplinary process and actively supports/participates in shared governance at all levels in the system
- Teamwork and Collaboration and Evidence Based Practice Research Documentation

- Initial psychosocial /functional assessment completed and documented in medical record
- Complete chart notes accurately and timely per Departmental protocol
- Ensure all records are up-to-date and legible.
- Complete all Electronic Medical Record software screens
- Ensure timely and accurate documentation of clinical reviews and insurance updates as required by payor
- Accounts for and indicates all services delivered in Electronic Medical Record
- Participates in data collection, poses relevant clinical questions to advanced evidence-based practice. Consults appropriate experts and uses appropriate resources and evidence to address practice questions
- Evidence Based Practice and Research Professional Development and Initiative

- Completes all initial and ongoing professional competency assessment, required mandatory education, population specific education
- Serves as a preceptor and/or or mentor for other professional and/or students, to ensure that there is a current and future qualified workforce

Required Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree in nursing (BSN) from an accredited school of nursing Preferred or
MSW from an Accredited School of Social Work Required and
Licensure: RN with a Georgia License or LMSW, *However to encourage the application of qualified applicants, the Care Coordination department will consider unlicensed MSW applicants with a goal to obtain licensure. Required
Unlicensed MSW Applicants Requirements: Employees who are hired without having their license must take the licensure exam within their first six months of employment. If a passing grade is not received on the exam, the employee must retake the exam and obtain a passing grade by their one year employment anniversary. Any employee who has not obtained their license by their one year anniversary will be subject to dismissal.
Required

Required Minimum License(s) and Certification(s):

Lic Clinical Social Worker GA 1.00 Required
Lic Master Social Worker GA 1.00 Required
Reg Nurse (Single State) 1.00 Required
RN - Multi-state Compact 1.00 Required
Basic Life Support 2.00 Required

Additional Licenses and Certifications:

Required Minimum Experience:

Minimum 3 years Three to Five years Clinical Practice/Experience Preferred

Required Minimum Skills:

Knowledge of Case Management process.
Excellent organizational and professional communication skills.
Knowledgeable in utilizing screening criteria in review of clinical data with respect to patients/clients needs for health care.
Ability to effect change performs critical analysis, promote client/family autonomy and plan and organize effectively for the continuum of care.

Join us and discover the support to do more meaningful work—and enjoy a more rewarding life. Connect with the most integrated health system in Georgia, and start a future that gives you more.