Patient Scheduling and Care Coordinator - LPN

Job Description

Job Description

Role and Responsibilities

Directly responsible for scheduling patient visits and assisting with coordination of client care and completion of specific tasks necessary in the operation of clinical services. Maintain HCHB tasks and reports in current status. Follow all procedures as outlined in Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) – PSC Daily Checklist, PSC HCHB responsibilities – as well as all task-specific procedures and policies. 

The Patient Scheduling and Care Coordinator effectively participates in communication and discharge planning in patient’s transition both to and from acute care and home care settings. Collaborate with hospitals to prevent patient rehospitalization. Manage referrals and coordinate safe home care services for patients, in accordance with physician.  Accountable for developing positive relationships with referral sources. 

Essential Functions

Home Care Coordinator (HCC):

• Cultivate relationships to help physicians and hospitals identify the best Home Care solution for their patients. 
• Exhibit active listening skills in order to conduct a comprehensive assessment including physical, psychosocial, and anticipated environmental needs. 
• Interview patient and family/designated back-up. 
• Communicate with PCP to safely transition to home and secure follow up appointment with PCP within seven (7) days of hospital discharge. 
• Obtain a copy of the patient’s Hospital Discharge Instructions to facilitate medication reconciliation with physician. 
• Collaborate with the acute care setting’s interdisciplinary team members to facilitate referrals and resulting in timely sharing of patient information during transitions to and from home care. 
• Provide accurate and timely documentation via HomeCare HomeBase (HCHB) to facilitate the referral process. 
• Develop an initial plan of care for each patient. 
• Obtain insurance authorization and verify physician signing home care orders.  
• Document according to facility/agency regulatory guidelines. 
• Function as a team with fellow HCCs, agencies, and other HCR departments. 
• Invoke the nursing process, identify qualifiers for home care, provide sufficient overview of both hospital course and identified initial home care need. 
• Assist others as needed, displaying flexibility and effective problem-solving techniques in response to fluctuating patient volume and vacation coverage. 
• Effectively communicate with internal business partners to ensure a safe, effective home care plan for all HCR patients.  
• Attend required HCR meetings, in-services, and functions. 
• Conduct education activities with physicians and hospitals. 
• Be knowledgeable and conversant in all HCR programs and services, including specialty programs.
• Work in conjunction with community outreach staff, as needed. 
• Meet agency referral metrics. 
• Use outreach tools to effectively communicate with referring sources.  
• Ability to clearly articulate an understanding of reimbursement issues and their relationship to home care. 
• Demonstrate continuous professional development and participation in self and peer evaluation. 
• Other duties as assigned.

Patient Scheduling Coordinator (PSC):

• Ensure voicemail and e-mail are checked on a regular basis and response to messages is timely. 
• Responsible for scheduling of all disciplines: skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, registered dietitian, social work, home health aide, personal care aide. 
• Complete scheduling as ordered in HCHB to ensure agency has met care requirements for patients.  
• Ensure that HCHB is updated with case managers for all disciplines on all active patients.  
• Edit schedule for clinicians calling in sick, ensuring patients are reassigned in computer database.   
• Receive second calls from the field staff during the Clinical Field Staff Supervisor’s lunch hour, weekly Case Conferences, and other busy times. Refer clinical questions to Regional Director/DPS as necessary. 
• Complete tasks/coordination notes as shown on the action screen in HCHB and assigning staff to the requested visits according to Agency Scheduling Guidelines and PSC HCHB Responsibilities. (Tasks/Coordination Notes to be completed in HCHB on the day they arrive in workflow. Visits that arrive after normal business hours will be completed as necessary by after-hours staff. The balance will remain in workflow to be completed by the PSC who works during normal business hours).  
• Give direction to field staff regarding their schedules, productivity requirements, visit completion, and adherence to the “Not Home Not Found Protocol.” 
• Ensure the Hospital Hold Process and Missed Visit Protocols are followed, as outlined in the SOPs. 
• Run Scheduling Request Report multiple times per day, to ensure all necessary visits are scheduled.  
• Run Agency Summary Report daily, to ensure all staff have accepted work.  
• Run Agent Summary Report daily, for follow-up, according to policy. Provide a copy of report daily to Regional Director/DPS.  
• Run Client Schedule Report daily, to ensure visits are verified for billing as well as review of visits missed, reassigned, declined and office reassigned status. Follow-up with contract agencies as applicable to HHA/PCA visits unverified greater than 30 days.  
• Assist with internal transfer of patients between branch offices. Update HCHB and computer programs as appropriate. 
• May be required to serve on at least two agency-wide committees per year. 
• Adhere to and participate in the agency’s mandatory HIPAA/Privacy Program and Employee Compliance Program. 
• Read and adhere to all Agency Policies and Procedures and follow the Employee Handbook Guidelines. 
• Entry of verbal orders received via phone. 
• Enter Hospital Hold Orders. 
• Notify physicians of visit changes, as needed. 
• Handle clinical patients’ questions as appropriate for LPN scope.

This job description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions; nothing herein restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Education Requirements

• Successful completion of an approved program of practical nursing, along with high school diploma or GED required.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Current, valid LPN license issued by NYS Department of Education required. 
• Two years of community health/home care, hospital, or equivalent Home Care Coordinator experience. 
• Demonstrates discretion in handling confidential and sensitive information in order to maintain HIPAA compliance.
• Proficient with staffing and scheduling requirements related to home care.
• Proficient with computer systems, working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Microsoft Teams, internet, EMR, and various software applications. 
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Interacts well with a great diversity of individuals. 
• Established organizational skills and ability to simultaneously handle multiple projects, with frequent interruptions.

Physical Requirements

The Patient Scheduling and Care Coordinator is primarily in an office setting and may be exposed to outdoor conditions.

The working conditions are classified as sedentary work:

• Sedentary work - Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time.

This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed, as assigned.

EOE/AA Minority / Female / Disability / Veteran