Admissions Specialist

PURPOSE OF POSITION

The Admissions Specialist is primarily responsible for coordinating incoming patient referrals, inquiries, and scheduling the pertinent Admissions staff to successfully transition the patient referral into Hospice El Paso services. In addition, the Admissions Specialist continually establishes and maintains relationships with professional providers in the El Paso community and is responsible for working within the healthcare community to: assure that all those involved are aware of the scope of Hospice El Paso services and have an understanding of admission criteria, have knowledge of and information on community resources available to non-funded patients, effectively presents the Hospice program of care, and assists in assuring that open and effective communication channels exist to facilitate the provision of the best possible in-home palliative services for patients and their families. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Listed below is an outline of the major duties and responsibilities that will be required. Administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary to perform the assigned duties under the supervision of the Director of Marketing are delegated to the Admissions Specialist.

Every effort has been made to provide a position description that is as complete as possible. The duties outlined herein are not considered complete and final, and are not the only duties the Admissions Specialist will be required to perform. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is a logical assignment to the position.

DUTIES

1. Receives and responds to inquiries about referrals to Hospice care. All calls which provide the opportunity to make a follow-up call to a physician for an evaluation should be considered a referral.
2. Initiates admissions in a timely fashion.
3. Ensures that incoming referrals are distributed and assigned fairly among Patient Specialist.
4. Schedules pre-admission visits with nurses, on-call nurses, and admissions counselors as needed prior to start-of-care.
5. Informs families, physicians, social workers, nursing homes, and other pertinent individuals about the appropriate use of Hospice El Paso services.
6. Screens and verifies information on patients, uses LMRP’s and other criteria to evaluate patients prior to admission.  
7. Communicates information with Admissions and Business Office staff.
8. Evaluates financial classification of new referrals. Assists in pre-certification of patient insurance (Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance) prior to admission including use of departmental tracking system to ensure timely completion of information required to obtain funding for eligible, non-funded patients.
9. Calls on doctors and social workers to assist in obtaining all necessary start-of-care information and physicians’ start-of-care orders.
10. Ensures that referral information is disseminated to all departments prior to admission.
11. Completes pre-admission and admission process. Enters information into Intake Manager. Gives complete report to all disciplines of the receiving team and on-call nurses.
12. Coordinates discharge planning with family, social worker, hospital and nursing facility staff, and attending physician.
13. Assists with daily phone calls to discharge planner on hospitalized referrals to relay status and anticipated discharge date.
14. Enters patient’s information into Hospice Source website for DME needs in preparation for admission.
15. Enters patient information through Hospice Pharmacia website.
16. Faxes referral profile to Advantage Pharmacy. 
17. Assists with arranging for equipment and supplies needed to begin care.
18. Assists Patient Specialist as necessary and when directed by Controller.
19. Tracks referrals until completion or rejection of admission through contact with the hospital discharge planners, case managers, physicians, and family.
20. Updates all those involved via fax or phone call within two hours if patient referral is in a pending status.
21. Faxes Referral Follow-Up of patient admission within 24 hours.
22. Maintains file system and follows up on non-admitted and pending referrals, and revocations/discharges.
23. Daily follow up on answering service phone list and internet referrals to ensure timely response to referral-related issues or concerns. 
24. Ensures team has adequate supply of admissions materials at all times. Prepares paperwork including initial assessment packets and start of care binders for the start-of-care nurses. 
25. Ensures that all pre-admission contacts/communications on Referral Board are accurately recorded and updated daily.
26. Brings to the attention of the Director of Marketing all patients whose appropriateness is in question prior to closing any referral.
27. Brings to the attention of the Director of Marketing all patient facilities that refuse Hospice El Paso services. Follow-ups should occur by the Director of Marketing.
28. Tracks client contacts through the referral and tickler file.
29. Facilitates clinical information/updates to private insurances. Relays information to appropriate Hospice staff.
30. Ensures that all UMC patients have a completed waiver form and forwards it to billing.
31. Tracks UMC and DSMC patients and provides updates to COO.
32. Tracks pending referrals and finalizes end of month report.
33. Updates census daily.
34. Performs daily follow-up on all referrals to facilitate access to Hospice El Paso services.
35. Ensures proper documentation is noted in each record as to the disposition of each referral.
36. Follows-up and tracks all patients not admitted in long-term care due to skilled reasons including routine contact with long-term care facilities to determine when skilled days are over.
37. Should have availability of a social worker to aid in admission of identified cases which require extensive psychosocial interventions. This can help with cases of possible revocation in the future.
38. Meets weekly, and as appropriate, with the Hospice admissions team to obtain information for use in communication with referring professionals and their staff.
39. Supervises and trains admissions counselors to encourage proper patient follow-up and that pending patient cases are completed.
40. May perform the following patient support services:
41. Introduces Hospice care to the patient/family at hospital or nursing facility
42. Obtains initial paperwork from the patient/family
43. Assists the staff at the hospital/nursing facility to expedite the care process by making copies of specified information and delivering this to Hospice (reference Policy CE-3, Facilitation of Admissions).

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. General
2. Works directly with providers to identify and solve problems. Refers difficult or complicated problems identified in the professional community to the Director of Marketing.
3. Facilitates the exchange of information and the flow of paperwork between the Hospice office, practitioners, and facilities in assigned territory.
4. Attends and participates in intra-agency and other professional meetings and conferences (example: professional education seminars/events; assist with the Black, Hispanic, and Greater Chamber of Commerce events; assist with the Medical Advisory meeting each quarter and "Caring Journey Home" Symposium) to network and develop relationships which will benefit Hospice of El Paso.
5. Functions independently and demonstrates personal integrity, flexibility and the ability to work effectively with other personnel under varying circumstances.
6. Has knowledge of and follows Hospice policies and procedures.  
7. Maintains a professional appearance.
8. Displays a consistent positive attitude. 
9. Demonstrates Values of Hospice:
10. Adheres to Hospice of El Paso Mission and Value Statement.  
11. Performs other duties as assigned. 

2. Communication

1. Develops and maintains rapport with professionals and support staff employees working in hospitals, foster homes, nursing homes and related facilities.
2. Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with all levels of personnel in the Agency.
3. Uses tact and sensitivity in communicating with staff, patients, families, funding sources, and nursing home and hospital personnel.
4. Complies with HIPAA standards by abiding with minimum Protected Health Information necessary to perform job description responsibilities. Access level 2 – Select, insert, update.

3. Professional Development

1. Attends and participates in in-service education classes and on-the-job training programs as scheduled.
2. Attends conferences and workshops as approved. 
3. Attends ethics and compliance training and maintains compliance with the CCP.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. Education and Experience
2. High School Graduate, college desirable.
3. Prior experience in customer services, sales or marketing, preferably in a medical environment.

2. Technical/Other Skills

1. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
2. Excellent written and oral presentation skills.
3. Organized and detail oriented.
4. Manages time effectively, meets deadlines.
5. Must be able to read, write, and speak English at a level which will permit the employee to accurately understand and communicate information as necessary to safely and efficiently perform the job duties. Bilingual English/Spanish desirable.
6. Persistent and goal oriented.

WORKING CONDITIONS

1. Works in well lighted ventilated office areas, hospitals, nursing facilities, foster homes and patient homes.
2. Able to work beyond normal working hours, weekends, holidays, as necessary.
3. Subject to frequent interruptions.
4. Subject to hostile and emotionally upset patients, family member, as well as encounters with emotionally upset personnel, who are reacting to personal or patient-related matters. An ability to understand and deal with others needs and feelings is essential.
5. Drives between office and hospitals, nursing facilities and foster homes.
6. Exposure: Job Category II- job does not routinely involve exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues, but exposure or potential exposure may be required as a condition of employment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Physically fit and able to work in a variety of settings and locations, primarily in well lighted/ventilated areas.
2. Able to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position.
3. Sits, bends, lifts, and moves intermittently during working hours.
4. Lifts and move items, generally not to exceed 20lbs.
5. Possesses sight/hearing senses or uses prosthetics that enable these senses to function adequately to meet the requirements of the position.