Admissions Counselor

Acadia; Mesa (AZ); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Acadia is seeking a Clinical Admissions professional to facilitate admissions, conduct intake assessments, and participate in utilization review to ensure appropriate care levels and resource use. The role emphasizes collaboration with medical and psychiatric staff, accurate documentation, and timely communications with payors and families.

The ideal candidate holds a Bachelor's in a social services field (Master's or RN preferred) and has experience in mental/behavioral health settings, with a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a social services field required (if state allows).
• Master's degree in a social services field (psychology, counseling, social work, sociology, health administration, nursing) or RN 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 the business office and patient.
• Collaborate with facility medical and psychiatric personnel to ensure appropriate recommendations regarding referrals.
• Coordinate admission and transfer between referral sources and levels of care within the facility.
• Maintain knowledge of milieu management and safety checks at 15-minute intervals as needed.
• Communicate projected admissions to internal representatives promptly.
• Ensure clinical information from referrals or patients is received prior to admission when possible.
• Schedule and complete pre-admission assessments, consult with admitting physician, and communicate disposition to patient/family.
• Prepare and maintain medical record documentation to support authorization of requested level of care.
• Complete initial pre-authorization for treatment and admission within payor guidelines.
• Admit patient to registration system and complete admission/consent forms.
• Provide empathetic, professional customer service and address complaints to ensure patient safety.
• Coordinate care for patients not admitted and arrange follow-up care and referrals.
• Demonstrate urgency regarding patient safety and provide excellent service.
• Conduct safety checks and supervise per guidelines.

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a social services field

Master's degree in a social services field or RN

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:

• Bachelor’s degree in a social services field required (if state allows).
• 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:

• Current licensure, as preferred for the area of clinical specialty, as designated by the state in which the facility operates.
• 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 to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment regardless of an individual’s characteristics protected by applicable state, federal and local laws.

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