Admissions Counselor

Acadia Healthcare; Fort Myers (FL); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Acadia Healthcare in Fort Myers, FL seeks a clinical professional to facilitate admissions, conduct intake assessments, and manage utilization review to ensure appropriate care levels and efficient use of benefits. The role involves collaborating with medical and psychiatric staff, coordinating transfers, and maintaining accurate records for payor approvals.

Ideal candidates hold a master's degree in a social services field (or RN) with experience in mental/behavioral health.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in a social services field (psychology, counseling, social work, sociology, health administration, nursing) or RN preferred.
• One or more years’ experience in mental/behavioral health working with individuals in a clinical or observational capacity preferred.

Responsibilities

• Respond to inquiries about the facility within facility policy timeframes.
• Develop therapeutic relationships with patients and families.
• Perform benefit eligibility to ensure patient benefits are active at admission and communicate eligibility to business office and patient.
• Collaborate with facility medical and psychiatric personnel for referrals.
• Coordinate admission and transfer between referral sources and levels of care.
• Maintain knowledge of milieu management.
• Communicate projected admissions to internal representatives.
• Ensure clinical information is received prior to admission when possible.
• Complete pre-admission assessments and communicate disposition to patient/family.
• Prepare and maintain medical record documentation for payor authorization.
• Complete initial pre-authorization for treatment and admission where possible.
• Admit the patient to registration and accounting system; complete forms with patient.
• Demonstrate empathetic, professional attitude toward customers and resolve complaints.
• Coordinate care for patients not admitted and arrange follow-up care.
• Demonstrate urgency for patient safety and excellent customer service.
• Conduct safety checks and supervision as required.

Skills

Therapeutic relationships

Benefit eligibility

Pre-admission assessments

Admission coordination

Medical record documentation

Customer service

Patient safety

Response to inquiries

Safety checks

15-minute supervision

Education

Master's degree in social services

RN (preferred)

Job description

Overview

PURPOSE STATEMENT:

Clinical professional is responsible for facilitating admissions, clinical intake assessments, and utilization review processes to assure continuity for the most appropriate level of care for patients and their benefit/resource utilization.

Responsibilities

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Respond to inquiries about the facility within facility policy timeframes.

• Ability to develop therapeutic relationships with patients and families.

• Perform benefit eligibility to ensure patient benefits are active at the time of admission. Communicate benefit eligibility to the business office and the patient or significant other.

• Collaborate with facility medical and psychiatric personnel to ensure appropriate recommendations regarding pending referrals.

• Coordinate admission and transfer from referral sources and between levels of care within the facility.

• Maintain knowledge of milieu management.

• Communicate projected admissions to designated internal representatives promptly.

• Ensure all clinical information from referral sources or patients (including medical comorbidity information) is received, when possible, prior to patient admission.

• Schedule (when applicable) and complete pre-admission assessments, consult with the admitting physician and communicate disposition recommendations to the patient or their family.

• Possess skill in preparing and maintaining appropriate medical record documentation that will result in authorization at the level of care being requested of the payor.

• Complete initial pre-authorization for treatment and admission prior to admission, when possible, and within payor timeframe guidelines.

• Admit the patient to the registration and accounting system. Complete all admission and consent forms with the patient.

• Demonstrate a positive, empathetic, and professional attitude toward customers always. When patient needs are not met, acknowledge and work to resolve complaints. Recognize that patient safety is a top priority.

• When a patient’s needs are not met, acknowledge and work to resolve complaints. Recognize that patient safety is a top priority.

• Coordinate care for patients who are not being admitted and ensure that they receive appropriate follow-up care and referrals.

• Demonstrate a sense of urgency related to the importance of patient safety and provide excellent customer service.

• Responsible for conducting safety checks and ensuring that supervision is conducted at 15-minute intervals, as noted in special precautions, or by individualized supervision guidelines as needed.

OTHER FUNCTIONS:

• Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.

Qualifications

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/SKILL REQUIREMENTS:

• Master's degree in a social services field (psychology, counseling, social work, sociology, health administration, nursing) or RN preferred.

• One or more years’ experience in mental/behavioral health working with individuals in a clinical or observational capacity preferred.

LICENSES/DESIGNATIONS/CERTIFICATIONS:

• Must have one of the following active, unrestricted licenses in the state of Florida: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT).

• CPR and de-escalation/restraint certification required (training available upon hire and offered by facility).

• First aid may be preferred based on state or facility.

ADDITIONAL REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS:

While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the requirements of the job, management reserves the right to add or remove duties from particular jobs when circumstances (e.g. emergencies, changes in workload, rush jobs, or technological developments) dictate.

We are committed toprovidingequalemploymentopportunitiestoall applicantsforemploymentregardlessofanindividual’scharacteristicsprotected byapplicable state,federalandlocallaws.

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