Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities

Receives and reviews patient referral information to determine hospice care needs.  Collaborates with the Hospice Medical Director regarding any questions about an individual's eligibility for services as needed.

Directs the implementation of improved work methods and procedures to ensure patients are admitted in accordance with government regulations and with policy.

Establishes and maintains positive working relationships with current and potential referral sources.

Provides leadership in strategic planning including identifying opportunities for additional or improved services to meet unmet customer needs.

Maintains comprehensive working knowledge of Well Care Hospice, Inc. contractual relationships and ensures that patients are admitted according to contract provisions.

Maintains comprehensive working knowledge of community resources and assists referral sources in accessing community resources should services not be provided by Well Care Hospice, Inc.

Oversees the daily functions of the hospice care team and serves as a resource to the interdisciplinary team members.

Ensure customer service expectations of patients, families, physicians, long-term care facilities, and colleagues are exceeded.

Supervise completion of clinical documentation according to agency, state, federal, and accreditation standards 

Ensures patients receive quality care by reviewing documentation, consulting with staff, reviewing care plans, conducting/participating in interdisciplinary team conferences, and reviewing patient satisfaction reports.

Ensures hospice home care services are provided in compliance with state, federal, and local regulatory requirements and established policies and procedures, quality/cost/clinical outcomes, and established performance standards.

Assists clinicians in establishing immediate and long-term therapeutic goals, in setting priorities, and in developing plan of care.

Attends case conference meetings with hospice personnel to facilitate coordination of care and discussion of interdisciplinary group involvement.

Conducts monthly record reviews and communicates findings and recommendations to Hospice Director and hospice personnel, reviewing patient’s medical diagnosis, prognosis, medications, procedures, and clinical course.

Assist with ensuring the hospice’s readiness and compliance with state, federal, and Joint Commission standards.

Work closely with the Medical Records Specialist to ensure that clinical records are maintained in compliance with agency, state, federal, and Joint Commission guidelines.

Work closely with Hospice Director to maintain and monitor the overall hospice expenses and keep the hospice within budget.

Participates in recruitment and retention efforts to ensure optimal home care staffing.

Directly supervises RN Case Managers, Social Workers, Chaplains, Hospice Aides, LPNs, and Team Coordinators and conducts supervisory visits in the field with clinical staff as needed and at least annually.

Promotes growth and development of clinical personnel; participates in competency assessment; creates developmental/improvement plans; identifies educational needs and recommends educational opportunities that would enhance patient care.

Assists Hospice Director and other supervisory hospice personnel in the planning, implementation and evaluation of inservice and con­tinuing education programs.  Assists in the formulating, revising, implementing, and evaluating organization policies, procedures, goals and objectives, both short and long range.

Complies with accepted professional standards and principles.

Assesses health needs of community and assists in the development of plan(s)/ program(s) to meet needs.  Participates in public relation and community activities that promote the organization's role as an effective member of the hospice and health care delivery system.  Promotes customer service orientation to all hospice personnel.

Participates actively in quality assessment performance improvement program.

Participates in long range strategic planning for department and agency, including program development and expansion.

Maintain Well Care Health Guiding Principles by respecting and maintaining privacy and confidentiality of agency customers, and employees, by practicing financial responsibility in the best interest of the agency, by practicing safety measures, by communicating with courtesy and compassion to agency customers and employees, and by conducting self in a professional manner.

Assists in the provision of on-call services afterhours, weekends, and holidays as scheduled and as needed.

Performs other duties and activities as delegated by the Director.

The above statements are only meant to be a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job.  The incumbents may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those stated in this description.

Position Qualifications

Graduate of NLN accredited school of nursing and current license to practice professional nursing as a Registered the state; Bachelor’s degree preferred.

Minimum of two (2) years clinical experience required; management or supervisory experience preferred. Demonstrated ability to supervise and direct professional and administrative personnel.

Previous experience in hospice setting with a solid understanding of hospice regulations. Understands hospice philosophy and issues of death and dying and the principles of pain/symptom management.

Ability to work well within an interdisciplinary team setting.

Excellent interpersonal communication skills, both oral and written. Has excellent observation and good nursing judgment skills.

Excellent organizational skills with the ability to handle a variety of tasks and to assign priorities to those tasks.

Complies with accepted professional standards and practice.

Must be a licensed driver with an automobile that is insured in accordance with state and/or organization requirements and is in good working order.

Complies and maintains current AHA CPR certification for Healthcare Workers.

Demonstrates autonomy, organization, assertiveness, flexibility and cooperation in performing job responsibilities.