Utilization Specialist

Acadia Healthcare; Allenwood (PA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Acadia Healthcare seeks a healthcare professional to monitor service utilization and support reimbursement for the facility. You will liaise with managed care organizations, review plans, and coordinate communications while ensuring compliance with certification requirements.

The role emphasizes quality reviews, data gathering, and staff training to optimize patient care and stay within regulatory guidelines, contributing to efficient operation and patient outcomes at the facility.

Qualifications

• Clinical experience is required.
• Two or more years' experience working with the facility's population.
• Previous experience in utilization management is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Act as liaison between managed care organizations and facility staff.
• Conduct reviews of insurance plans and coordinate communication on reimbursement requirements.
• Monitor patient length of stay and inform staff of issues that may impact length of stay.
• Gather and develop statistical and narrative information to report on utilization, non-certified days, discharges and quality of services.
• Conduct quality reviews for medical necessity and services provided.
• Facilitate peer review calls between facility and external organizations.
• Initiate and complete the formal appeal process for denied admissions or continued stay.
• Assist the admissions department with pre-certifications of care.
• Provide ongoing support and training for staff on documentation or charting requirements, continued stay criteria and medical necessity updates.

Skills

Clinical experience

Utilization management

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate's/Bachelor's/Master’s in Social Work or related health field

Job description

Purpose Statement

Proactively monitor utilization of services for patients to optimize reimbursement for the facility.

Purpose Statement

Proactively monitor utilization of services for patients to optimize reimbursement for the facility.

Pleasant and important work helping people in their journey towards recovery.

Essential Functions

• Act as liaison between managed care organizations and the facility professional clinical staff.
• Conduct reviews, in accordance with certification requirements, of insurance plans or other managed care organizations (MCOs) and coordinate the flow of communication concerning reimbursement requirements.
• Monitor patient length of stay and extensions and inform clinical and medical staff on issues that may impact length of stay.
• Gather and develop statistical and narrative information to report on utilization, non-certified days (including identified causes and appeal information), discharges and quality of services, as required by the facility leadership or corporate office.
• Conduct quality reviews for medical necessity and services provided.
• Facilitate peer review calls between facility and external organizations.
• Initiate and complete the formal appeal process for denied admissions or continued stay.
• Assist the admissions department with pre-certifications of care.
• Provide ongoing support and training for staff on documentation or charting requirements, continued stay criteria and medical necessity updates.

Other Functions

• Perform other functions and tasks as assigned.

Education/Experience/Skill Requirements

• Required Education: High school diploma or equivalent.
• Preferred Education: Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master’s degree in Social Work, Behavioral or Mental Health, Nursing, or a related health field.
• Experience: Clinical experience is required, or two or more years' experience working with the facility's population. Previous experience in utilization management is preferred

Licenses/Designations/Certifications

• Preferred Licensure: LPN, RN, LMSW, LCSW, LPC, LPC-I within the state where the facility provides services; or current clinical professional license or certification, as required, within the state where the facility provides services.
• CPR and de-escalation and restraint certification required (training available upon hire and offered by facility.
• First aid may be required based on state or facility 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.