Director, Assessment & Referral

Director, Risk Management & Performance Improvement Opportunity

Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital provides inpatient treatment services to adolescents and adults at our 86‑bed facility in Panama City, FL and outpatient services to adolescents and adults at our four outpatient centers located throughout the Florida Panhandle. Additionally, we offer specialized treatment for active‑duty military members through our Military Resiliency Program, specialized chemical dependency treatment and TMS therapy for chronic depression.

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The Director, Assessment & Referral leads a fast‑paced team of professionals responsible for the admission/intake process utilizing nursing and therapeutic processes. Builds a customer focused team who provides quality care, establishes standards of practice, provides effective fiscal management, and remains operations focused.

Job Duties/Responsibilities:

• Is responsible for the administrative and clinical supervision of the Admissions and Referral Department. Supervises staff in the provision of patient access to care and behavioral health assessment services, including call management, clinical evaluations for level of care, crisis intervention, admissions, and referrals. Ensures departmental adherence to policies and procedures, regulatory compliance, service excellence, and data entry/management. Develops and manages processes related to the efficient and smooth admission and referral processes.
  
  May perform Assessment Specialist duties as needed.
• Develops and implements activities related to creating an environment of patient focused care in the Admissions and Referral department by defining and achieving standards for quality patient care to include:
  • Developing and implementing department objectives, policies and procedures to maintain quality patient care. Continuously monitors Federal and State requirements and revises Departmental procedures accordingly. Maintains Joint Commission and CMS accreditation standards.
  • Oversees and monitors the assessment & referral process to ensure quality assessments, appropriate admissions as well as appropriate referrals are provided. Maintain effective lines of communication between the staff and the physician as the staff must work in conjunction with the admitting physician to establish appropriateness of admission, establish clinical diagnosis and treatment.
  • Oversees telephone triage activities. Monitors triage calls and information provided during the telephone triage such as offering assessment, referral information provided, access emergency medical or police services when needed. Ensures documentation of calls into computer‑based systems.
  • Responsible for Utilization Review functions to include insurance verification and obtaining initial authorization for services in a timely manner. Responsible for ensuring all insurance documentation is uploaded into system.
  • Acts as a liaison between referral sources, patients, families, staff and the general public as needed. Responds to and investigates referral source, patient, and family complaints.
  • Works in conjunction with the Director of Quality/Risk Management to address patient safety concerns and to implement processes that prevent adverse outcomes.
  • Performs marketing, outreach and development functions to maintain positive and open relations with all community resources.
• Plans, organizes, and manages areas of responsibility to meet the standards set by the hospital and regulatory agencies.
  • Hires, supervises, develops, evaluates, and disciplines staff and and/or monitors supervisors’ management of staff. Ensures staff is knowledgeable and competent to perform duties by providing orientation, training, and continuing education. Meets with staff members on an ongoing basis to review performance and provide feedback, guidance and instruction as needed. Assures appropriate work production and documentation in accordance with policies and regulations through audits, supervision, and goal setting.
  • Reviews performance in area of supervision in relation to established goals to include standards and criteria, audit of deficiencies and follow‑up; implements changes…