Registered Nurse Coordinator, Patient Access

Job Title

Responsible for system-wide/multi-hospital placement of patients into available beds 24 hours/7 days a week. Collaborate with Access Center Physicians and hospital-based shift coordinators/supervisors to ensure decisions are consistent with hospital/service line priorities and hospital resources. May assist hospital administration and/or the administrator-on-call in resolving patient or administrative concerns occurring within the system. Work is performed under limited supervision. Direct report to the Nurse Manager.

Principal responsibilities and tasks include:

• Facilitate and communicate system-wide bed and services available to support patient throughput.
• Interpret and ensure compliance with applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations, and UMMS policies and procedures.
• In collaboration with the Access Center Physicians, receive patient request from key access points and clinically triage patients to validate the admission/transfer request.
• Maintain awareness of nursing capabilities at various units across the system to ensure appropriate patient placement.
• Receive discharge information from system hospital-based coordinators and Access Center Physicians to plan and coordinate patient placement activities to enhance patient flow.
• Collaborate with Transfer Coordinators to admit patients from referring physicians/hospitals.
• Coordinate with Access Center Physicians to define, reduce and eliminate barriers that may impede patient flow within UMMS.
• Maintain knowledge of all applicable system hospital throughput parameters (e.g., patient census, ED alert status, volume capacity alerts, bed demands, etc.).
• Evaluate patient throughput throughout the system, and eliminate barriers and/or process issues inhibiting throughput.
• Facilitate resource smoothing for patient throughput in collaboration with the Access Center Physicians, Transfer Coordinators, and sending/receiving units.
• Facilitate communication with leaders across the system to assure the timely and accurate transmission of capacity information.
• Determine appropriate level of care based on the patient's clinical status and identify system hospital to meet the patient's care needs.
• Participate in meetings regarding decanting or repatriation and facilitate system-oriented patient movement.
• Escalate concerns regarding throughput to Physician Administrative Officer, Central Intensivist Physician, administrator on call, or other hospital leadership as needed.
• Serve as a resource for members of the University of Maryland Access Center.
• Serve as on-site administrator for employee issues in the absence of UMAC leadership; notify immediate supervisor of any urgent matters; provide written communication of events as requested by leadership.
• Serve a key leader in the UMAC pause process with primary focus on matching the patient to the appropriate level of care; compile and review relevant clinical information in EPIC, CRISP, and data obtained from the sending/receiving provider.
• Identify and facilitate alternatives for patient transfer such as telehealth and outpatient follow-up; ensure loop closure for optimal patient outcomes.
• Collaborate with UMMS hospitals for available beds, to identify appropriate patients for transfer, and oversee pending patient transfers.
• Accountable for reviewing and updating patient status for patients' pending transfer; update receiving provider regarding changes in patient condition.
• Initiate re-consult process, and update patient status to accurately reflect patient care needs.
• Continually evaluate the continued need for transfer, and exploration of other options (e.g., tele health, outpatient follow-up, etc.) as the patient's condition permits.
• Optimize patient capacity of UMMS by ensuring right patient to right services/bed as bed status
• Facilitate telehealth process with the sending provider, and ensure timely follow-up; provide patient updates for the faculty practice while awaiting telehealth appointment.
• Continually re-evaluate patient appropriateness for telehealth, and escalate for patients requiring transfer in lieu of telehealth.
• Liaise with faculty practice following telehealth appointment and facilitate transfer needs.
• Coordinate transfers to non-system hospitals to enhance system bed flow.
• Maintain competencies required for the position and remain current with all mandatory training.
• Maintain accountability for own educational needs and attend appropriate educational programs.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Work experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Nursing required.
• Three (3) years of nursing experience in a medical/surgical and/or critical care unit required.
• Two (2) years of experience with patient throughput and bed coordination preferred.
• Current licensure as a Nurse in the State of Maryland or be eligible to obtain licensure required.
• BLS/ACLS certification required.