Behavioral Health Liaison

Position Summary

The Behavioral Health Inpatient Liaison, with observation from the Behavioral Health Nurse Manager and Behavioral Health EC liaison, evaluates the needs of Behavioral Health patients admitted inpatient. The liaison works with hospital staff, providers, and outside agencies to ensure patient compliance with organization protocols, policies, procedures, and guidelines. The liaison demonstrates clinical understanding utilizing evidence-based practices and research in all areas of the liaison process. The liaison is responsible to provide medically related social work services so that each patient may attain or maintain the highest practicable level of physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being. The Liaison demonstrates thorough knowledge of therapeutic patient care, patient advocacy, clinical pathways/care maps, team dynamics, hospital systems, and serves as a resource for support associates.  The Liaison will collaborate with leadership in developing and implementing the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System’s culture, Mission, Vision, and Values. Associates are encouraged to engage and support Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System’s involvement in the communities we serve.

Minimum Requirements

Education         

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work.

Experience        

• Experience in Social Services in a health care facility or healthcare field within the past five (5) years preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills,  thorough and detailed documentation skills.
• Strong computer skills.

License/Registration/Certifications             

• Current unencumbered social work license.

Preferred Requirements

Preferred Education     

• LMSW

Preferred Experience    

• One year of recent Behavioral Health Social Work experience within the past 5 years.

Preferred License/Registration/Certifications             

• N/A

Core Job Responsibilities

• Effectively communicates with patients, families, providers, and hospital associates.
• Participates in the developing, implementing, evaluating, and revision of a plan of care based on needs of the patient/family.
• Collaborates with patient, families, and other members of the health care team to determine patient priorities, treatments.
• Coordinates, provides, and directs patient plan of care with behavioral health staff and providers.
• Initiates and facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance outcome.
• Seeks necessary assistance in gaining resources to assure positive patient outcomes.
• Provides clinical guidance to students and ancillary staff.
• Critically discusses assigned patients’ medical history, admitting diagnosis and physician’s orders, reviewing nursing history, performs in person discussion with patient, ensures diagnostic data ordered, and interviews patient and family to determine further patient needs.
• Professionally interact and communicate with patients from all age groups, diverse backgrounds, and varying educational levels. Also, must be able to communicate and treat patients that may be confused, irrational, agitated, and/or uncooperative.
• Assures continuity of care through effective decision making resulting in quality patient care.
• Tracks referrals (IP, RC, SMC, CSC-EC, SMC MB) and external SRHS facilities.
• Tracks medical clearance of potential admits.
• Facilities daily huddle with providers regarding patient status and needs.
• Presents cases for possible admission to the attending providers.
• Responsible for answering consult pages, messages, calls M-F 8am-5pm on the inpatient liaison phone.
• Support patient experience initiatives.
• Demonstrates appropriate standards of care, pathways, and milestones to drive the plan of care.
• Demonstrates competency utilizing electronic health record.
• Adheres to system required standards of behavior.
• Adheres to proper chain of command.
• Knowledgeable in use of and response to Facility Alert, Medical Alert, Medical Emergency Systems.
• Provides a safe patient care environment.
• Responsible for demonstrating competencies for processes and complete annual competency validation along with continuing education requirements.
• Successfully completes hospital and unit-based orientation programs and annual competencies.
• Formulates a plan for personal professional growth.
• Ability to properly prioritize multiple patients according to needs.
• Able to review, critically think, and provide quality patient information inherent to the fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Committed to unit, department, and division goals.
• Demonstrates knowledge and ensures compliance with expectations regarding regulatory agency requirements (DNV, DHEC, CMS)
• Complies with current policies and procedures.  Identifies and recommends development and revision needs of policies and procedures.
• Serves on unit-based committees and as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned.