Patient Services Intermediate - Admission Triage Assistant

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Job Summary

The D. Dan and Betty Kahn Health Care Pavilion is a 12-story hospital that will house 264 private rooms capable of converting to intensive care; a state-of-the-art neurosciences center; and high-level, specialty care services for cardiovascular and thoracic patients, along with advanced imaging. The 690,000-square-foot hospital which also features 20 surgical and three interventional radiology suites is being constructed adjacent to the Frankel Cardiovascular Center, with plans for bridge and tunnel connections to existing inpatient care facilities. The anticipated opening of the new D. Dan and Betty Kahn Health Care Pavilion is fall 2025.

Within the Capacity Management division, the Admission Triage Associates, in partnership with Patient Flow Coordinators (PFCs) and Admission Triage Coordinators (ATCs), coordinate and optimize patient flow across University Hospital, Mott Hospital, and Cardiovascular Center. In order to promote quality and safe patient care, Admission Triage Associates provide accurate and timely data entry into systems, screen and manage incoming phone calls, support communication with referring customers while maximizing throughput. 

Responsibilities*

Duties include but are not limited to:

  • Answer, screen, handle and/or route all department bed requests. Track messages and assist with responses.
  • Provide service excellence and effective communication with team members, other departments and external customers.
  • Provide accurate and timely follow-up with staff, patients and families.
  • Process accurate and timely admissions as requested.
  • Patient placement in accordance with placement guidelines, fill algorithms and in collaboration with PFCs as needed.
  • Prioritize patient placement from multiple in-coming locations i.e. home, clinic, outside hospital transfers, PACU, and emergency department from all hospitals. 
  • Verify census and update discrepancies in associated systems (Epic) to ensure real-time status for all patients. 
  • Ensure bed tracking systems reflect real-time, accurate status for all patients and bed status.
  • Provide status report and ongoing issue update at shift change.
  • Coordinate coverage issues with co-workers and take the necessary steps to ensure appropriate staffing.
  • Collaborate with PFCs and medical providers to assist with placements based on level of care required for current patients in ICU/Moderate Care/Telemetry.
  • Facilitate intra-unit transfers to optimize medically necessary private rooms and patient satisfaction.
  • Partner with PFCs to identify and problem-solve patient placement barriers to expedite bed assignment process.
  • Assist and prepare for placement of next day scheduled admissions in collaboration with the PFCs by updating electronic systems. 
  • Assist facilitation and participate with daily bed briefing in both Adult and Mott Hospitals. 
  • Facilitate communication to inpatient units, charge nurses, inpatient clerks, and medical providers regarding bed availability by using phone, MiChart Secure chat, Microsoft Teams, paging, and email. 
  • Manage multiple competing tasks and deadlines with energy and efficiency. 
  • Additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Required Qualifications*

  • Associate or bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience. 
  • Minimum of 3 years of experience in a healthcare setting.
  • Proven ability to prioritize, meet deadlines and produce detailed and accurate work.
  • Demonstrated ability to exercise good judgment and work successfully within a team and also independently.
  • Must be detail oriented and organized with demonstrated ability to prioritize and multi-task.
  • Excellent computer skills (especially in Epic, Microsoft Teams, MiChart Secure Chat, and Cisco Finesse). 
  • Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, and organizational skills with a strong customer focus.
  • Proven ability to assess and handle highly sensitive and confidential matters with considerable discretion and independent judgement.
  • Demonstrated positive work ethic and strong sense of teamwork/problem solving with co-workers.
  • Demonstrated team spirit, initiative, and interpersonal skills to effectively interact with team members, medical staff, patients and families. 

Desired Qualifications*

  • Experience facilitating patient placement.
  • Working knowledge of Epic, Microsoft Teams, MiChart Secure chat, and Cisco Finesse.
  • Ability to understand and articulate medical terminology. 
  • Understanding of University policies and procedures.

How You'll Grow

Leadership

  • Participate in the orientation and training of on-boarding capacity management staff.
  • Participate in activities to promote own continued learning and professional growth.

Continuous Quality Improvement

  • Participate in the development, implementation and ongoing evaluation of policies and procedures related to patient flow and utilization management.
  • Assess and evaluate new or revised systems which support Capacity Management goals and objectives.
  • Recommend and facilitate improvements in the patient placement process based on data analysis.
  • Document notable events for follow-up and make recommendations for quality improvement.
  • Maintain required documentation to support quality improvement and performance metrics.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Union Affiliation

This position is covered under the collective bargaining agreement between the U-M and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which contains and settles all matters with respect to wages, benefits, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.

Background Screening

Michigan Medicine conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background screenings.  Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act. Pre-employment drug testing applies to all selected candidates, including new or additional faculty and staff appointments, as well as transfers from other U-M campuses.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.