Discharge Planner Job Description
Discharge planner
provides information to Social Work and Case Management Department staff regarding changes and new developments in reimbursement and agency policies, and community resources.
Discharge Planner Duties & Responsibilities
To write an effective discharge planner job description, begin by listing detailed duties, responsibilities and expectations. We have included discharge planner job description templates that you can modify and use.
Sample responsibilities for this position include:
Assesses patient's goals, psychosocial, environmental, and discharge planning needs, and financial status
Assesses, develops, facilitates, and monitors a comprehensive discharge plan through an interdisciplinary team process in conjunction with patient and family in both external and internal settings
Communicates effectively and routinely with patients, families, medical staff, nursing staff, other caregivers, and third party payors as necessary
Liaison between physicians, patients, healthcare providers, caregivers, and payors to orchestrate, coordinate and act as facilitator of the patient's post-acute care
Determines alternatives for post-acute care to physicians and patient / family
Identifies issues that may delay patient discharge and facilitates timely resolution of these issues and communicates anticipated / actual delays with the patient / family, physician, and healthcare team
Follows through with finalizing all aspects of the discharge plan including facilitating hand-off communication between sending and receiving nurses, and confirming transportation / transfer arrangements
Ensures patients / families are aware of and in agreement with all post-acute services, including any possible / actual associated out of pocket costs to the patient and document such in the medical record
Maintains timely and up to date documentation of social work activities in Cerner
Uses appropriate channels of communication when initiating a change, reporting information, or addressing a concern
Discharge Planner Qualifications
Qualifications for a job description may include education, certification, and experience.
Licensing or Certifications for Discharge Planner
List any licenses or certifications required by the position: CPR, BLS, CPI
Education for Discharge Planner
Typically a job would require a certain level of education.
Employers hiring for the discharge planner job most commonly would prefer for their future employee to have a relevant degree such as Bachelor's and University Degree in Social Work, Education, Nursing, Health, Psychology, Human Services, Counseling, Graduate, Associates, Management
Skills for Discharge Planner
Desired skills for discharge planner include:
Agency policy and procedures
Federal and state regulations and third party regulations for reimbursement of home care services
Home care community resources
Medicare Conditions of Participation
Psychiatric treatment modalities and community resources
Disease processes
Case Management process
Allscripts
Ability to recognize problems and to use effective judgment in problem solving
GE Centricity/Flowcast
Desired experience for discharge planner includes:
Seeks and accepts constructive criticism and implements action design for self-improvement
Ensures timely completion of assigned educational modules on NetLearning for ongoing professional development
Support cost containment efforts and work these items on a concurrent basis
Knowledgeable and compliant in following organizational and departmental policies and procedures
Demonstrates commitment to philosophy, goals and mission of organization and department
Develops and maintains a positive work climate and supports the overall team effort of the hospital
Discharge Planner Examples
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Discharge Planner Job Description
Job Description Example
Our company is growing rapidly and is looking for a discharge planner. Please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications. While this is our ideal list, we will consider candidates that do not necessarily have all of the qualifications, but have sufficient experience and talent.
Responsibilities for discharge planner
- Ensures 100% of patient population is screened for discharge planning and biopsychosocial needs within 72 hours of admission
- Develops a timely and effective discharge plan with Care Mangers, hospital and medical staff, and outside agencies while being fiscally responsible
- Maintains an ongoing relationship with patients, families and the health care team through verbal and written communication to facilitate appropriate and timely progression along the continuum for assigned areas or upon consulted patients
- Collaborates with the health care team and serves as a liaison with community and referring agencies by developing and maintaining good working relationships to assure the availability of quality services
- Responsible for identifying the discharge needs of the patient and family, and facilitating a smooth and safe transition from the hospital under the general supervision of the Director, Case Management
- Identifies patient/discharge needs to assure that both receive support with resources and placement assistance
- Oversees, with the assistance of a Case Manager, the appropriateness of stay in the hospital, both acute and skilled
- Facilitates the transition home by ordering equipment, arranging and referring home health visits, contacting the Home Health Services prior to discharge, and initiating a follow-up telephone call after discharge
- Responsible for assisting the case managers to identify the discharge needs of the patient and family and help facilitate a smooth and safe transition from the hospital
- Responsible for assisting the case managers with all the discharge planning needs of patients that are assigned and utilizes the Case Managers for situations that are out of his/her scope of practice
Qualifications for discharge planner
- Provides guidance and counsel to patients and families regarding post discharge care plans, placement options and equipment needs
- Facilitates the discharge planning process through coordination with the interdisciplinary team and serves as a liaison to safely transition patients to the appropriate level of care
- Must have 2+ years of prior relevant work experience
- Previous discharge planning experience and/or community resource development expertise is preferred
- Experience in Emergency Department a plus
- A Bachelor's Degree in Social Work (BSW) is preferred
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Discharge Planner Job Description
Job Description Example
Our company is looking to fill the role of discharge planner. Please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications. While this is our ideal list, we will consider candidates that do not necessarily have all of the qualifications, but have sufficient experience and talent.
Responsibilities for discharge planner
- Responds to referrals in a timely manner
- Maintains knowledge of community resources
- Collaborates with Case Management team, Disease Management team and any members of the healthcare team on transition of patient’s care from acute care to home with services
- Along with RN case manager manage and coordinate all non-clinical duties related to care of members who have complex medical problems requiring multidisciplinary intervention
- The purpose is to coordinate, facilitate, and follow a patient’s use of an array of health and social services by utilizing community based services to prevent institutionalization and re-admissions by meeting the member’s needs during and after hospitalization
- Assessing financial status to determine eligibility for benefits relative to the patient’s needs
- Reviews admissions and service requests for prospective, concurrent and retrospective medical necessity and/or compliance with reimbursement policy criteria
- Communicates with insurance providers for the purpose of determining continued eligibility of benefits for managed care patients
- Ensure continuity if care needs are assessed and met for both inpatient and outpatients as needed, based on the age of the patient
- Coordinates interfacilty transfers, communicating appropriately and promptly with hospital departments and other facilities as necessary
Qualifications for discharge planner
- Dynamic knowledge of managed care and public programs such as those funded by Medicare (especially Medicare risk products), Medicaid, and other payers 3rd party
- Minimum one (1) year acute hospital clinical nursing experience and/or Home Care services, required
- 6+ months of current discharge planning in an acute care environment
- The knowledge and ability listed below may be acquired through different types of education, training and experience
- Two years of related professional experience required
- Work requires the knowledge of theories, principles, and concepts normally acquired through completion of a Bachelor’s Degree from a school accredited by Council of Social Work Education
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Discharge Planner Job Description
Job Description Example
Our company is growing rapidly and is looking to fill the role of discharge planner. We appreciate you taking the time to review the list of qualifications and to apply for the position. If you don’t fill all of the qualifications, you may still be considered depending on your level of experience.
Responsibilities for discharge planner
- Rounds with Social Services and other hospital staff to develop discharge plans and discuss possible discharge problems
- Coordinate care planning with the internal primary care treatment team, including peer support, community agencies
- Under the direction of the Case Manger Director perform Discharge Planning functions for the Case Management Department
- Responsible for arranging referrals for post discharge needs of patient and or family choice
- Communicates with physicians, nurses, therapies, case managers and third party payer regarding the discharge plan
- Under the direction of a RN Case Manger performs utilization review functions for the Case Management Department
- Demonstrates participation in professional growth and development, maintaining required knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position
- Be responsible for identifying the discharge needs of the patient and family, and facilitating a smooth and safe transition from the hospital under the general supervision of the Director, Case Management
- Identify patient/discharge needs to assure that both receive support with resources and placement assistance
- Oversee, with the assistance of a Case Manager, the appropriateness of stay in the hospital, both acute and skilled
Qualifications for discharge planner
- Basic knowledge of the care management process
- Possess the ability to respond to high volume, fast paced clinical and office setting
- Maintain a professional, neat work environment, manages stress in order to maintain a professional demeanor and perform multiple tasks simultaneously
- Facilitate the transition home by ordering equipment, arranging and referring home health visits, contacting the Home Health Services prior to discharge, and initiating a follow-up telephone call after discharge
- A minimum of two (2) years direct clinical experience in a psychiatric or mental health setting
- Experience in working with programs and outside referrals preferred
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Discharge Planner Job Description
Job Description Example
Our growing company is searching for experienced candidates for the position of discharge planner. If you are looking for an exciting place to work, please take a look at the list of qualifications below.
Responsibilities for discharge planner
- The Case Manager will carry an active caseload of approximately 10-18 Psychiatric patients and/or perform group therapy under the direction of licensed personnel
- All other job duties as assigned by Director of Case Management and outpatient program
- Identifies age-related problems that may require intervention, geriatric patient for visual, comprehension, gait or housekeeping problems and the ability to participate in the discharge plan
- Ability to apply common sense principles, along with knowledge base to analyze and solve problems that arise
- Must exhibit excellent customer service and telephone skills
- Be part of Care Management, a complex system designed to support the member, patient and physician in medical management
- Provide a variety of key services in guiding the member/patient through the continuum of care
- Screen for risk (medical, psycho-social, and economic) and transitionally plan
- Assure appropriate access, level of care and continuity of care
- Coordinate care and educate
Qualifications for discharge planner
- Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide age appropriate care relative to the patients served in the acute care setting
- Interprets data reflective of the patient, family/surrogate's physical, psychosocial, emotional, spiritual, cultural, and educational needs
- Demonstrates skill in verbal and written communication
- Demonstrates ability to work effectively with all members of the health care team
- Facilitate community referrals and reinforce guidelines
- Continually monitor for plan effectiveness and continued need of services
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Discharge Planner Job Description
Job Description Example
Our growing company is looking to fill the role of discharge planner. We appreciate you taking the time to review the list of qualifications and to apply for the position. If you don’t fill all of the qualifications, you may still be considered depending on your level of experience.
Responsibilities for discharge planner
- Reviews patient history, previous post-acute stays, PCP, insurance, recommendations for specialty care/needs/equipment in EMR/ACM
- Provides bedside patient education on CMS quality measures and offers choice of facility and physician
- Identifies patient barriers to follow-up care or medication adherence and notifies internal staff of concerns
- Is responsible for completeness of electronic documentation
- Works collaboratively with hospital staff to ensure a seamless transition
- Is a content expert on Medicare/Medicaid, ER Intercept program, Floor to SNF, OBS to SNF, insurance, and accepting sites
- Discharge Planner/Case Manager will meet with patient within 24 hrs and obtain Release of Information (ROI)/HIPPA and document meeting with patient chart
- Discharge Planner/Case Manager will continue meeting with patient in a as needed basis to ensure continued care is arranged ahead of time
- Discharge Planner/Case Manager will ensure arrangements for continued care is set up as close as possible to patient discharge
- Discharge Planner/Case Manager will arrange transportation for patients, as needed
Qualifications for discharge planner
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field may be considered
- Bachelor’s degree in Nursing ore related Human Services field
- Minimum 2-3 years experience in the post acute/skilled nursing/long term care setting
- Previous case management/ discharge planning experience preferred
- Current unencumbered California Licensed Vocational Nurse – LVN licensure
- Experience with Discharge or Case Management preferred