Admissions Specialist

POSITION TITLE: Admissions Specialist (Previously Care Coordinator or Admissions Counselor)

DEPARTMENT: Access Team

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Access Manager

REPORTS DIRECTLY TO: Access Director

SUPERVISES: N/A

I. POSITION SUMMARY:

This position will interact directly with potential clients and/or their family members as well as new and existing referral sources and other internal Bradford stakeholders to facilitate the pre-admission process. The goal of these interactions is to collect relevant information regarding the impact of chemical dependency and/or substance use disorder on the lives of potential patients and to motivate those individuals into taking appropriate action regarding suggested treatment.

II. PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Create a strong first impression of Bradford Health Services to prospective clients, family members and referral sources by answering inbound calls, building rapport with those individuals, and gathering the initial information needed to capture them in our CRM system.  
• Complete pre-admissions screenings with prospective clients and compare against established intake criteria, policies, and procedures to move patients forward in the pre-admission process where possible and to escalate for supervisor review where necessary.
• Where appropriate, speak with referral sources, family members and other patient stakeholders to gather relevant collateral information.
• Evaluate patient insurance and financial eligibility, and discuss financial terms with clients and family members.
• Use all information collected to motivate the patient into a decision-making process, helping them to understand the suggested level of care, and persuading them to start treatment as soon as possible.
• Advocate for potential clients both internally and externally to clear any roadblocks to admission.
• Appropriately collect, record, and convey pertinent client information to supervisors, clinical and medical teams, and other staff, as necessary.
• Provide referrals to patients where necessary, connecting them with appropriate resources in their areas.
• Send appropriate follow up materials - included screening summary letters, drug screens, etc – to referral sources where warranted.
• Follow HIPAA and 42 C.F.R. Part 2 regulations to always ensure the protection of patient health information.
• Track all potential patients not admitted to the appropriate level of care via and follow up where appropriate in an effort to convert to admission.
• Complete all assigned on ongoing trainings and competencies.
• Record daily all patient-related activities in the Customer Relationship Management system using clear, concise, accurate documentation.

III. ESSENTIAL JOB REQUIREMENTS:

A. Education and Experience:

• Minimum two years of undergraduate studies or 5 years relevant work experience required.   Bachelor’s degree preferred.  CRSS certification a plus.
• Knowledge of chemical dependency preferred.
• Customer service and/or sales experienced required.
• Computer data entry skills required – type 40 wpm required. Customer Relationship Management software experience preferred.

B. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and confidentiality, including a working knowledge of 45 C.F.R. “Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act” and 42 C.F.R. Part 2 “Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records” with respect to patient and potential patient identifying information and health information. This position has unrestricted access to identifying information and health information concerning patients, potential patients, and participants.
• Be an example of our core values daily and hold yourself accountable to Bradford standards, policies and procedures.
• Must have excellent listening skills combined with ability to interpret and apply what you hear.
• Must possess strong attention to detail.  
• Must be self-motivated and able to work under minimal supervision.
• Must be able to bond in a professional manner with potential patients and families.
• Must be able to see 20/40 corrected in each eye and hear clearly (hearing assist devices accepted).
• Must have valid driver’s license and a safe driving record and reliable transportation.
• Must exhibit high energy level and convey care and empathy while answering calls and completing consultations.
• Must be emotionally and physically capable of functioning under stressful situations.
• Must be able to operate in a metrics driven culture.
• Must be able to work in a cooperative manner with co-workers, managers, patients, families and perspective patients and families.
• Possess a working knowledge of chemical dependency signs and symptoms in adults and adolescents.
• Possess a working knowledge of appropriate emergency, benevolent and/or self- help referral information.
• Must be able to accurately discuss all services Bradford provides.
• Ability to identify and escalate priority issues.
• Regular attendance, consistently punctual and dependable for all scheduled shifts.
• Displays a willingness to be flexible with daily schedule.
• Other duties as assigned.
• If recovering, two (2) years of continuous verifiable sobriety.