Job Description

Job Summary:

The incumbent will supervise non-clinical discharge coordinators and support staff. Assists with the management of personnel, fiscal, and material resources. This includes performance management, overseeing the day-to-day tasks of discharge coordinators as they provide admin support across multiple hospital services (Parnassus General Medicine, Teaching/Wards, and Mt. Zion Medicine services) and staff development.

The incumbent has a critical role which will assist with maximizing the care of and assuring safe patient discharges from the UCSF General Medicine Service, which is a direct care service (i.e. no learners). The incumbent will work closely with the Division Chief, Medical Director and Assistant Medical Director of the General Medicine Service, Operations Manager, and Division Manager. This position acts as a liaison with the discharge coordinators and outpatient clinics regarding appointments with patient's primary care provider and/or specialists prior to discharge and other patient-based activities.

The incumbent augments the care provided to the patients on the service by addressing administrative clinical issues, determining optimal times for post-discharge follow-up care, discovering any outside records that may be helpful, enhancing communication between the inpatient and outpatient providers, and providing any additional support to the patient as appropriate. This also includes following up on important labs such as microbiology and pathology results when patients are discharged to ensure the Primary Care Providers (PCP) receive results and patients are set-up for appropriate follow-up care, and perform other duties as assigned.

This person is also responsible for following up with patients for key hospitalization-related concerns after their hospital stay (for example, triaging calls for the post-discharge phone line and answering patient questions when appropriate).

Responsibilities

of time

Essential Function (Yes/No)

Key Responsibilities

(To be completed by Supervisor)

15%
YesPlans and coordinates staff to meet non-clinical needs and concerns of patients. Develops and implements plans for assessing efficiency and effectiveness of program services. Ensures quality standards are met.
10%
Yes
Assesses staff education needs and coordinates training opportunities. Teaches / orients new staff to the workflows. Creates, refines and improves documentation and workflow standards, based on changing needs and patient management strategies. Participates in the development of long-range goals and objectives.

Manages a team of discharge coordinators. This includes performance management, overseeing the day-to-day tasks of discharge coordinators as they provide admin support across multiple hospital services (mainly teaching/Wards service), and staff development.

Independently conducts performance evaluations, including communication with subordinates.

Makes recommendations for employee incentive awards and salary increases, including merits and reclassifications.

20%
Yes
Establishes and coordinates a supportive care plan with goals and interventions based on treatment and individual patient / service provider needs. Recommends changes or new processes to increase patient satisfaction in navigating across the healthcare system for services.

Reviews new patients added to the General Medicine and Mt. Zion Service to establish best times for post-discharge follow-up care, learns of any outside records that may be helpful, discusses any concerns, and communicates to their outside providers and provides any additional support to the patient as appropriate.

Partners with faculty on projects/pilots geared towards process improvement, towards improving discharge times, increasing the translation rate for limited English proficient patients, and around patient satisfaction

15%
Yes
Assists with problem identification and resolution. Serves as a resource for patients and staff. Works closely with service providers, advocating, and representing the patient with a focus on the patient's satisfaction with the clinical aspects of their treatment experience. Identifies and works to remove barriers to the plan of care as appropriate.

Screens applications, interviews candidates and makes selection decisions or recommends individuals for hire.

Partners with faculty on projects/pilots geared towards process improvement, towards improving discharge times, increasing the translation rate for limited English proficient patients, and around patient satisfaction.

• Works with Discharge Coordinator or research to identify a local/in-network provider to ensure patient is set-up with PCP before discharge.
• Coordinates with other members of the care team, including social work and case management when appropriate, to link patients to appropriate community resources to ensure best outcomes post-discharge.

5%
Yes
Monitors fiscal performance and expenses. Collaborates to resolve financial issues. Ensures the effective use of funds.

Assists with faculty reimbursement request submissions. Ensures requests are submitted in a timely manner and under the accurate chart of accounts.

Independently conducts performance evaluations, including communication with subordinates. Participates in corrective action process for subordinates or recommends same to higher level management.

15%
Yes
Manages debriefing and follows up with patients and families using established escalation and triage protocols. Documents to standards. Assists with developing / refining of protocols and participates in documentation improvement activities.

• Triages calls to the post-discharge phone line and answers patient questions when appropriate.
• Manage/provide in-basket coverage for faculty on leave/vacation to ensure messages are triaged in a timely manner

Reports issues to appropriate provider and/or department manager. Solicits feedback on patient / family interactions / style / efficacy from peers and managers.

20%
Yes
Anticipates and initiates coordination activities; provides road maps for patients to set expectations and coordinate care in alignment with patient's needs. May include reviewing clinical case with provider team to schedule evaluation services.

• Notifies non-UCSF primary care providers of their patient's admission and forwards relevant clinical documentation.
• Assists with scheduling inpatient test and procedures when appropriate. Works with Hospital Medicine Discharge Coordinator to ensure appropriate follow-up care is scheduled before patient leaves the hospital.
• Pend orders/discharge referrals and assist with follow up/new patient appointments with PCP and specialty clinics.
• Communicates ongoing follow-up needs with PCPs (both UCSF and non-UCSF)
• Follows-up important labs such as pathology results when patient is discharged in order to ensure they receive results and are set-up for appropriate follow-up care.

Other duties as assigned.

0

100%
(To update total %, enter the amount of time in whole numbers (without the % symbol - e.g., 15, 20) then highlight the total sum (e.g., 1%) at the bottom of the column and press F9. The total sum should add up to 100%.)

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in health-related area and / or equivalent experience / training
• Thorough knowledge of medical center services, processes and procedures
• Thorough knowledge of University Medical Center policies
• Thorough knowledge of relevant federal, state and local regulations to identify potential patient risk
• Knowledge of medical terminology
• Advanced knowledge of data collection, compilation, and analytical techniques
• Leadership skills to provide planning, coordination and direction to staff
• Advanced interpersonal and customer service skills
• Advanced written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to communicate and resolve issues effectively with a diverse population of patients, staff and physicians
• Ability to deal with confidential matters with tact and diplomacy
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills to develop solutions and recommend changes