DISCHARGE PLANNER

Summit Oaks Hospital, Inc.; New Jersey; On-site; USD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare facility in New Jersey is looking for a professional to assist in discharge planning and coordinate communications with various agencies. Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree and ideally 1-3 years of experience in a related field. Strong clerical skills and effective communication are essential, along with the ability to prioritize workload in a fast-paced environment. This role is integral to patient care and requires maintaining confidentiality throughout interactions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree is required.
• 1–3 years of related work experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist in discharge planning coordination.
• Serve as primary contact for District Attorney and Probate Courts.
• Document interventions with patients in medical records.
• Maintain positive relationships with community agencies.
• Support quality and responsive patient care.

Skills

Knowledge of general clerical procedures

Excellent spelling skills

Knowledge of computers and software

Effective oral and written communication skills

Ability to prioritize heavy workloads

Ability to communicate effectively with patients

Ability to work as a team player

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Completion of basic clerical or medical/clerical course

Tools

WordPerfect

Lotus

Job description

About Summit Oaks Hospital

Summit Oaks Hospital, a 126-bed private acute care hospital and chemical dependency treatment center, located in a picturesque suburban setting, fully accredited by the Joint Commission, has been providing quality health care to adults, children and adolescents in the northeastern USA since 1902. Summit Oaks has repeatedly been recognized in U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s best behavioral health hospitals.

Position Summary

Responsible for assisting in discharge planning coordination with unit, social workers and Utilization Review staff. Serve as primary contact for District Attorney staff and Probate Courts for all patients for whom applications for court‑ordered mental health services are pending.

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s Degree (Required)

Completion of basic clerical or medical/clerical course. (Preferred)

Related Work Experience: 1–3 years (Preferred)

Specialized Skills and Knowledge

• Knowledge of general clerical procedures and excellent spelling skills required.
• Knowledge of computers and software programs (e.g. WordPerfect, Lotus).
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to write neatly and legibly.
• Ability to adhere to safety policies and procedures.
• Ability to prioritize heavy workloads and work in a fast‑paced environment.
• Ability to demonstrate tact, resourcefulness, patience and dedication.
• Ability to recognize the importance of adapting to the various patient age groups (adolescent, adult and geriatric).
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients and co‑workers.
• Ability to use good judgement and maintain confidentiality of information.
• Ability to work as a team player.
• Ability to accept direction and adhere to policies and procedures.

Essential Job Duties/Responsibilities

• Communicates in an open, direct manner sharing information with team members.
• Assist in discharge planning to ensure a continuum of care following discharge.
• Attends treatment‑planning meetings as a responsible and contributory member of the treatment team.
• Documents intervention with patient and family in the patient medical record on a timely and professional basis.
• Provides and maintains positive relationships with community agencies in order to provide the most appropriate assistance to patients and to help foster effective working relationships between outside agencies and hospital staff.
• Employs communication skills to help patients feel trust and rapport.
• Recognizes learning needs and utilizes resources to meet them.
• Completes paperwork for all transfers and communicates with Excel staff regarding the time frame of transfers.
• Participates in ensuring the provision of quality and responsive patient care.
• Maintains confidentiality of patients’ medical information.
• Completes and processes discharge papers and assembles the patient chart for medical records.
• Assists patient/family with the discharge process.
• Answers patient/family calls in a polite and timely manner.
• Maintains a professional relationship with staff members, providing support as requested.
• Assists the staff with locating charts and returning charts to the appropriate area when finished.
• Participates on committees as assigned and meets all assigned committee objectives.
• Participates in cost containment for the program area by adhering to cost containment procedures, reporting discrepancies, and recommending changes that increase cost containment goals.
• Adheres to facility standards concerning conduct, dress, attendance and punctuality.
• Attends all mandatory facility in‑services and staff development activities as scheduled.
• Supports facility‑wide quality/performance improvement goals and objectives.
• Performs other duties as assigned/required by this position.

EEO Statement

All UHS subsidiaries are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates. UHS subsidiaries are equal opportunity employers and as such, openly support and fully commit to recruitment, selection, placement, promotion and compensation of individuals without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), genetic information, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. We believe that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success.