Utilization Review Coordinator

Oceans Healthcare; West Chester (Chester County); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Oceans Healthcare is seeking an Utilization Review Coordinator to oversee utilization review activities across inpatient, partial hospitalization, and outpatient programs. The role involves concurrent medical record reviews to confirm admission criteria, timely discharge planning, and coordination with third-party payers.

Responsibilities include reporting findings to relevant teams, maintaining payer communications, and supporting performance improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Requires strong communication and documentation skills.
• Experience in psychiatric/chemical dependency care preferred.
• Knowledge of reimbursement and utilization review processes is essential.
• Ability to manage high-volume workload with accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Identifies and reports inappropriate use of services to ensure cost-effective, quality care.
• Reviews inpatient, partial hospitalization, and outpatient records for admission appropriateness and discharge planning.
• Communicates with third-party payers and clinical staff to coordinate reimbursement requirements.
• Attends treatment team meetings to gather data from payers and share pertinent information.

Skills

Assertive communication

Writing skills

Discharge planning

Patient advocacy

Data analysis

Time management

CPR certification

De-escalation training

Regulatory knowledge

Minimal supervision

Cultural competency

Education

Associate degree in healthcare

Bachelor’s degree in social services

Job description

The Utilization Review Coordinator is responsible for management of all utilization review activities for the facility’s inpatient, partial hospitalization, and outpatient programs. Conducts concurrent reviews of all medical records to ensure criteria for admission and continued stay are met and documented, and to ensure timely discharge planning. Coordinates information between third party payers and medical/clinical staff members. Interacts with members of the medical/clinical team to provide a flow of communication and a medical record which documents and supports level and intensity of service rendered. All duties to be done in accordance with Joint Commission, Federal and State regulations, Oceans' Mission, policies and procedures and Performance Improvement Standards.

Essential Functions:

• Identifies and reports appropriate use, under-use, over-use and inefficient use of services and resources to ensure high quality patient care is provided in the least restrictive environment and in a cost-effective manner.
• Conducts review of all inpatient, partial hospitalization, and outpatient records as outlined in the Utilization Review/Case Management plan to (1) determine appropriateness and clinical necessity of admissions, continued stay, and or rehabilitation, and discharge; (2) determine timeliness of assessments and evaluations; i.e. H&Ps, psychiatric evaluation, CIA formulation, and discharge summaries; and (3) identify any under-, over-, and/or inefficient use of services or resources.
• Reports findings to appropriate disciplines and/or committees; notifies appropriate staff members of any deficiencies noted so corrective actions can be taken in a timely manner; submits monthly report to PI Coordinator of findings and actions recommended to correct identified problems.
• Coordinates flow of communication between physicians/staff and third party payers concerning reimbursement requisites
• Attends mini-treatment team and morning status meetings each weekday to obtain third-party payer pre-certification and ongoing certification requirements and to share with those attending any pertinent data from third-party payer contracts.
• Attends weekly treatment team.
• Conducts telephone reviews to, and follows through with documentation requests from third party payers.
• Maintains abstract with updates provided to third party payers.
• Notifies physicians/staff/patients of reimbursement issues.
• Initiates and completes appeals process for reimbursement denials; notifies inpatients of denials received.
• Reports monthly all Hospital Issued Notices of Non-coverage (HINN letter) to QIO.
• Conducts special retrospective studies/audits when need is determined by M&PS and /or other committee structure.
• Ensures all authorization and denied information is in HCS at the end of each business day.
• Performs other duties and projects as assigned.

Requirements

Educational / Experience Requirements:

• Associate's Degree with emphasis on healthcare or Bachelor's degree in social services field preferred.
• At least one year psychiatric/chemical dependency experience with good working psychiatric/medical knowledge.

Qualifications/Skills:

• Must have excellent assertive communication skills.
• Knowledge and in-depth understanding of CD-psych treatment and discharge planning process.
• Must have good writing and composition skills.
• Must have good understanding of regulatory and fiscal reimbursement and utilization review as a primary component of patient care.
• Must demonstrate strong patient advocacy skills.
• Must be able to organize and prioritize high volume workload.
• Must be able to analyze and utilize data and systems to provide individualized quality treatment in a cost-effective manner.
• Must be able to function with minimal supervision.
• Therapeutic Intervention De-escalation Education required.
• Must have ability to maintain overall good work attitude and interact cooperatively and professionally with other staff members and third party payers to achieve mutually beneficial outcome.
• Must possess basic competency in age, disability, and cultural diversity for needs of patients served and ability to relate to patients in a manner sensitive to those needs.
• Must successfully complete CPR certification and an Oceans approved behavioral health de-escalation program.

Work Environment:

Subject to many interruptions. Occasional pressure due to multiple calls and inquiries. This position can be high paced and stressful; must be able to cope mentally and physically to atmosphere. Work requires spending approximately 90% or more of the time inside a building that offers protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.