Admissions Coordinator

Admissions Coordinator Job Description

Position Overview:

The Admissions Coordinator is responsible for generating admissions at a 24 bed inpatient residential treatment facility and detox center for clients with Substance Use Disorder.  In this role, the Admissions Coordinator will handle client inquiry calls with the goal of assessing client needs and fit and converting inquiries to admissions. The Admissions Coordinator is also responsible for ensuring a smooth, efficient intake process for new patients, working in collaboration with outside referents, Business Development reps, and facility staff (e.g. clinical staff, medical staff, business office).

The Admissions Coordinator is accountable for:

• Effectively handling inquiry calls, web forms and converting inquiries to admissions
• Meeting or exceeding individual and team admissions goals, including number of admissions, conversion rate, and average daily census.
• Contributing to the development of an effective, high-performing admissions team.
• Building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders within and outside the Admissions department including facility staff, marketers, and referents.
• Ensuring sound financial arrangements with clients.
• Participating in initiatives to improve admissions capabilities and practices.

Essential Responsibilities: 

• Generate admissions – Handle client inquiry calls and convert inquiries to admissions.
• Use empathy and active listening skills to build trust and identify client issues and treatment needs
• Assess initial clinical and financial fit and efficiently qualify/disqualify the inquiry
• Anticipate and overcome objections and resistance by identifying signs of client indecision or refusal to enter a program
• Clearly explain program features and benefits, including medical, therapeutic and financial components
• Conduct efficient, detailed pre-admissions screening assessments, while ensuring proper boundaries are maintained
• Assess client financial resources and options, and negotiate financial agreements, in consultation with the Director of Admissions
• Gather financial and insurance information, and clearly explain financial requirements and options, including how insurance works, authorization of benefits and medical necessity
• Ensure inquiry calls are worked to the close with a constant sense of urgency, including timely and strategic follow-up.
• Schedule and coordinate the admission, including arrangement of transportation, ensuring patient arrives as planned, troubleshoot and overcome issues that might prevent patient from showing up for treatment
• Clearly and concisely complete inquiry forms and notes
• Be part of an on-call rotation to provide after-hours admissions coverage.

• Develop internal and external relationships to drive admissions – Educate stakeholders and build internal and external relationships to drive inquiries and admissions.
  

• Maintain close, effective relationships with Business Development Representatives and referents to improve the chances of converting inquires, and to increase the chances that referents will refer more clients in the future
• Develop effective working relationships with all departments (especially BD, business office, UR, clinical team, Discharge Coordinator) to ensure sound admissions and financial decisions and a smooth intake process. 

• Improve processes and capabilities – Participate in initiatives to improve admissions capabilities and define standards and best practices.
  

• Regularly analyze inquiry activity, including closed inquiries, to identify opportunities to improve personal and team performance (e.g. call handling and sales techniques, workflow improvements)
• Participate in process improvement projects, as requested

The essential qualities required for this position are:

• A strong work ethic and high energy level
• Goal and outcome oriented with an intense drive to succeed
• Highly organized and able to prioritize multiple tasks when things get busy
• Able to work well under pressure in highly demanding and intense situations; comfortable working in crisis situations
• Attention to providing high quality, high-end customer service
• Mature and able to communicate clearly and effectively with clinical professionals, challenging clients who are often in compromised states of mental health, and internal staff
• Personable and able to empathize with others
• Able to maintain boundaries