Discharge Planning Associate – Full-Time Nights (Emergency Room)

UPMC Hamot is seeking a dedicated and compassionate Discharge Planning Associate to join our team in the Emergency Room. In this role, you will work closely with the Discharge Planning team to coordinate essential services and resources, ensuring effective discharge plans that optimize patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and financial performance.

As a Discharge Planning Associate, you will meet with patients in the emergency room, assist with trauma cases, and facilitate transfers to higher levels of care when needed. You will play a key role in helping patients navigate the discharge process while collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to ensure a smooth and successful transition from hospital to home or other care settings.

Responsibilities:

Comprehensive Assessment: Identify clinical, psychosocial, financial, cultural, and spiritual needs to guide the discharge planning process, ensuring optimal outcomes for patients. Consider the patient/family’s health literacy level and evaluate their understanding of care plans and goals. Incorporate these insights into the plan of care. Evaluate Risks: Balance patient preferences and goals with available resources. Assess potential social determinants of health that may increase the risk of poor transitions and adverse outcomes. Detailed Patient Evaluation: Conduct thorough assessments to understand medical and social factors, capacity for self-care, support systems, barriers to discharge, and the need for post-hospital services. Continually reassess the discharge plan to address any changes in care needs. Facilitate Discharge Plans: Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop and implement safe, efficient discharge plans. Ensure that appropriate post-hospital care arrangements are made prior to discharge to avoid delays. Clear Communication: Engage in clear and compassionate communication with patients, families, and caregivers to develop discharge plans. Act as a liaison between the patient and the care team, ensuring coordination of care and integration of multidisciplinary input. Coordination of Care: Collaborate with attending practitioners, caregivers, and other team members to monitor progress, incorporate recommendations, and adjust the discharge plan as necessary. Ensure discharge goals are met and appropriate follow-up care is arranged. Post-Hospital Care Coordination: Serve as a point of contact between hospitals, post-hospital care facilities, and physicians involved in the patient’s care. Advocacy and Patient Rights: Advocate for patients, families, and caregivers, ensuring access to necessary services while safeguarding the patient’s health, well-being, and rights. Cost Management and Outcome Optimization: Balance patient safety, clinical quality, risk, and patient satisfaction to make recommendations that optimize outcomes and resource utilization. Innovation and Technology Integration: Embrace and incorporate technological solutions to improve care coordination and patient outcomes. Documentation and Compliance: Accurately document patient care in the medical chart and adhere to all regulatory requirements and ethical standards. Mentorship and Training: Provide orientation and mentorship to staff as needed to support their professional development.

If you are passionate about improving patient care and making a meaningful impact in the discharge planning process, we encourage you to apply today!

If you have any questions about the position or would like to discuss the role in more detail, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Our recruiter is available to assist you and provide more information to help you determine if this opportunity is the right fit for you.

To connect, simply send an email to valencickp@upmc.edu, and we’ll be happy to schedule a time to speak with you or address any inquiries you may have.