Utilization Specialist

Acadia Healthcare; Danville (PA); On-site; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Training opportunities

Certification opportunities

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Danville, Pennsylvania, seeks a qualified candidate to monitor utilization of services for patients, acting as a liaison between managed care organizations and clinical staff. The ideal candidate should hold at least a high school diploma, with preference given to those with degrees in health-related fields. Relevant clinical experience and strong communication skills are essential. Competitive training and certification opportunities are available for the right candidate.

Qualifications

• Required education includes a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Preferred education includes degrees in Social Work, Nursing, or related health fields.
• Clinical experience is required or two years' experience with the facility's population.

Responsibilities

• Act as liaison between managed care organizations and clinical staff.
• Monitor patient length of stay and inform staff on issues impacting it.
• Assist admissions department with pre-certifications of care.

Skills

Clinical experience

Communication skills

Monitoring utilization

Quality reviews

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master’s degree in Social Work, Behavioral or Mental Health, Nursing

Job description

Purpose Statement

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

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.

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.