Patient Placement Coordinator - Full Time/Nights - Nursing Adminstration - Req#1996803762

Job Objective :

Antelope Valley Hospital’s (AVH) Patient Placement Coordinator (PPC) is responsible to expedite patient admissions from all avenues (Emergency Department ED , Direct Admits, PACU, Cath Lab, etc.

as well as inpatient transfers, in a timely manner, focusing on Patient Throughput targets with clinical oversight in a confidential manner.

The ability to screen for level of care appropriateness and any special requirements around bed requests (i.e. Isolation, custody, dialysis, patient safety, etc.

will be a pivotal responsibility for this position. Serves as point person for appropriate patient placement with an individual who has clinical expertise and experience to understand the global picture of the hospital’s capacity at all times and who works closely with Bed Control and House Supervisor.

This position works with Bed Control staff to review patient history, current medical needs and directs them on the appropriate bed placement based on current and historical data.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities :

• Population-Specific Competencies
• Demonstrates clinical knowledge and expertise to make good decisions for the specific patient population. Able to review electronic medical record and look at the clinical indicators to ensure appropriate patient placement at all times.
• Demonstrates the ability to focus on the specific needs of the patient population and focus on isolation, dialysis, involuntary holding and patient safety.
• Demonstrates appropriate communication skills between House Supervisor, Bed Control and Charge Nurses to discuss patient population needs.
• Demonstrates, modifies and adapts work flow and behaviors in meeting patient-specific needs in a timely manner.
• Job-Specific Duties
• Directs the Bed Control staff to facilitate the timely throughput of all patients being admitted or transferred by identifying the appropriate bed placement of all patients (admissions and transfers) according to medical necessity to the appropriate level of care nursing units by demonstrating an understanding of utilization management principles.

Keeps track of updates / downgrades on all nursing units. The PPC will review all admission / transfer documentation to ensure the correct bed placement occurs the first time.

• Collaborates with the Bed Control and House Supervisor regarding level of care, special needs and the ability to care for the patient within the unit’s scope of service and bed availability, ensuring bed placement policies and protocols are followed.
• Understands capacity management and crisis intervention to direct the Bed Control staff and able to open and manage the Incident Command Center in conjunction with Nursing Administration team.
• Maintains communication / reviews schedules for scheduled surgeries, Interventional Radiology, Cardiac Cath Lab and same day surgery patients for their potential admission and to ensure placement of patients, post-op / post-procedure, to appropriate levels of care in a timely manner.

Works closely with these departments and knows how to prioritize bed placement using sound clinical judgment.

• Specialized procedures that require ICU or PCU beds are assigned the day before to ensure patient has a planned bed. Works with the Nursing Office Secretary and House Supervisor to ensure the beds needed are staffed accordingly.
• The PPC will screen all admissions and transfer requests from other facilities and discuss the acceptance of the patient with the House Supervisor and ED to ED transfers discussed with the ED Physician for their approval and acceptance.
• Acts as liaison with other departments and checks on delays in all processes, maintaining communication with nursing and other hospital disciplines.

If needed, rounds on units to assess open bed in conjunction with the House Supervisor.

Coordinates and ensures the appropriate Physician orders are obtained for all admissions and transfers and that they include special needs (i.

e. isolation, involuntary holds, Psychiatrist consults, etc.). also communicates special staffing needs with the Nursing Office Secretary and House Supervisor.

Able to handle problems or questions and works collaboratively with the House Supervisor when significant issues arise that affect bed flow.

Escalates through Manager and Director as needed.

• Keeps track of hospital census / bed availability to include turnover and patient flow at all times.
• Communicates with Charge Nurses all admissions / transfers and escalates patient condition concerns to House Supervisor or Physician assigned to reevaluate level of care.
• Elevates the process for any patient holding in ED greater than three (3) hours to the House Supervisor and Sr. Director of Nursing Administration.

Documents delays and reasons in appropriate communication and flowsheet.

Prioritizes admissions and is able to interpret hospital bed availability. Sets patient placement priorities for admits, obtaining patient arrival times for direct admits, and communicates status on an ongoing basis as unit situations change.

Attends Patient Rounds on an ad hoc basis and reviews Bed Huddle forms from Charge Nurses to further assess patient needs and communicate questions to Charge Nurse, Manager and Director.

• Transfers patients as directed by Physician orders and after clinical review of the patient electronic record.
• Works with Bed Control with notifying ED, PACU or nursing unit on bed status, when clean, ready and available.
• Coordinates Critical Care units’ priority of patient placement according to specialty service needs and in some cases, clears and opens the bed the day prior.
• Monitor patient movement throughout the hospital and individual units in concert with Bed Control using sound clinical judgment.
• Maintains knowledge of all discharges occurring throughout the hospital to accurately obtain census data and assist with getting the beds cleaned quickly for new admissions by contacting the EVS Lead on STAT cleans.

In concert with Bed Control, works closely with PCC Department (Case Management).

Reviews current Physician suspension list and checks this list before admitting patients to any Physician. Escalates to House Supervisor as needed.

Ensures that the Physician is not suspended for admissions or transfers to AVH.

• Exhibits a high degree of flexibility and the ability to adapt to new or unusual situations.
• Able to assist and step in to cover the duties and responsibilities for any function of the Nursing Administration department and ensures confidentiality when handling protected and sensitive information related to personnel and employees.
• Will perform other duties as assigned by the House Supervisor and / or the Sr. Director of Nursing Administration.
• Able to pre-register and / or register admissions and verifies correct demographic information is completed and is able to function in all aspects of the Bed Control responsibility.
• Assists with or initiates required documentation for HAvBED polling (ReddiNet) on time to meet County-wide completion expectations. Collectively maintains a >

90% timeliness for report submission tracked by LA County.

• Review Bed Huddle information from the Charge Nurses at 09 : 00 and 21 : 00 regarding bed flow for the main hospital and the Women and Infants Pavilion (WIP) and makes sure report is sent to designated groups.
• Able to interpret and predict patient placement needs for all Code calls (i.e. trauma, stroke, ELVO, etc.) and prepares / clears a required bed for higher level of care.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities :

• Quality Improvement
• Contributes ideas, suggestions and solutions to continuously improve processes, procedures, methods and productivity to constantly meet throughput metrics.
• Ensures the patient is placed correctly the first time and special needs are identified in all placement considerations using strong clinical judgment and expertise.
• Risk Management
• Cooperates fully in all Risk Management activities and investigations.
• Places patients according to diagnosis, special needs, level of care and patient / staff safety needs.
• Clinical knowledge utilized to prevent patient harm and escalates concerns quickly to the House Supervisor and / or unit Manager / Director.
• Information Management
• Maintains confidentiality, security and integrity of all health information. Follows HIPAA / PHI guidelines for patient privacy.
• Able to navigate the patient electronic record for patient information for accurate bed placement.
• Maintains confidentiality with all documents and staff information.
• Patient / Staff Safety
• Demonstrates knowledge of, observes and complies with the hospital’s Patient Safety Program and Plan.
• Accepts guidance from the House Supervisor, Charge Nurse and Manager / Director, if placement concerns surface, for a positive resolution.
• Ensures involuntary holds or aggressive patent behaviors are isolated and patients placed in a private room and works with Nursing Office Secretary and House Supervisor for Patient Safety Attendant (PSA) or Security Officer requirements.
• Environment of Care
• Demonstrates knowledge of, observes and complies with hospital Safety, Infection Prevention and refers to related policies and procedures.
• Communicates with Environmental Services (EVS), House Supervisor, Sr. Director of Nursing Administration when there is an urgent need to clean beds and when beds are not progressing timely.
• Able to assist with all incidents in the hospital from a capacity management standpoint.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :

Knowledge

• Knowledge of clinical needs of patients.
• Knowledge of medical terminology.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Knowledge of basic arithmetic.
• Knowledge of electronic medical record (EMR).

Skills

• Use of basic personal computer workstation with dual screens, scanner, phone, fax, copier and printer.
• Use of a calculator.
• Proficient in the operation of scanners, copiers and fax machines.
• Skilled in usage of computers and programs in a hospital setting.
• Skilled usage of Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong communication and organization skills.
• Good planning, time management and decision-making skills.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and strong customer focus.
• Effective oral and written communication skills with customer service and team approach to daily work activities.
• Organizational and time management skills required.
• Able to support and function in any position within Nursing Administration.

Abilities

• Ability to handle stress.
• Ability to manage a heavy caseload in an organized and efficient manner.
• Ability to maintain a working relationship with other departments within the organization.
• Ability to read handwritten and transcribed documents in the EMR and interpret clinical patient information.
• Ability to enter complete and accurate data into the facility’s computer systems.
• Ability to maintain an accuracy rate of 98% or higher relating to all Bed Control activities.
• Ability to function in the absence of Bed Control staff on an emergency basis.

AVH Values : All AVH employees will effectively demonstrate these values :

• Patients Come First We listen actively and communicate with our patients and families, placing safety as a top priority.
• Accountability & Ownership We fully complete tasks, are transparent, effectively communicate, and recognize that what we do reflects on us.
• Teamwork We build trusting relationships, promote a sense of community, and are respectful of everyone. Success is about the whole team.
• Integrity & Honesty We tell the truth at all times, speak up when something is wrong, and do the right thing when no one is looking.
• Excellence We take pride in our work, are goal-oriented, and on a never-ending quest for top tier quality.
• Initiative & Innovation Our can-do attitudes, creativity, and resourcefulness empower us to improve the patient’s experience, solve our own problems, make timely decisions, and look for opportunities to add value.
• Tenderness & Compassion We have genuine empathy, show kindness, and encourage and advocate for each other.

Education and Experience :

Education

• High School graduate or equivalent
• Current LVN License

Experience

• Prefer one (1) year LVN experience in an acute care setting or less than one (1) year experience in a sub-acute or care management role
• Understanding of interqual admission criteria and has computer skills to enter information into the various databases

Required Licensure and / or Certifications :

• Current Licensed Vocational License for State of California
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions :

• Primarily works in a climate-controlled area.
• Frequent sitting for long periods of time.
• Tolerate repetitive arm and hand movements.

A detailed description of the physical requirements of this job is maintained in the Employee Health Department.

NOTE : THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE INTENDED TO DESCRIBE THE GENERAL NATURE AND LEVEL OF WORK PERFORMED BY PEOPLE ASSIGNED TO THIS JOB.

THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE AN EHAUSTIVE LIST OF ALL RESPONSIBILITIES, SKILLS AND WORKING CONDITIONS FOR THE PERSONNEL SO CLASSIFIED.