Director of Transfer Center

Overview

Job Summary

Responsible for driving the transfer center strategy, including centralized patient placement and all other functions within the transfer center scope, across multiple locations through collaboration with regional hospital leaders, physicians, capacity management, and key service line stakeholders, while holding executive oversight of all center operations and key compliance and regulatory policies. Establishes a regional focused strategy for movement and placement of patients in and out of AHN from a multitude of access points through processes that enable volume growth and competitive advantage. Acts as a strategic growth partner to division and facility leadership demonstrating keen sense of ownership of all improvement efforts related to the many scope functional areas of the Transfer Center for the division. Collaborates with division emergency preparedness and acts as the leader for any needed patient evacuation efforts in the event of emergent circumstances across the division or Enterprise. Facilitates the resolution of issues and roadblocks to the progress of the initiative. Establishes and executes regular systems for communicating the progress and results to stakeholders. Serves as a primary customer leader to key stakeholders to identify issues and risks, to collect information for Division wide decision-making regarding transfer centers, to implement and influence change and to provide value-added services. Executive oversight for multiple Atrium Health locations with a larger scope of responsibility, including higher number of hospitals and other Atrium Health access points within the geography, which requires more significant center operations and staffing levels. Drive all aspects of the transfer initiative as the strategic leader developing, implementing, and tracking progress on key growth strategies into AHN through the Transfer Center. Implement and successfully operationalize the Atrium Health standard centralized patient placement model for all Atrium Health hospitals the Transfer Center supports; through alignment with key stakeholders actively participates in division and hospital throughput initiatives. Works with facility executive teams, capacity management, medical and nursing leadership, and the Physician and Provider Relations team to promote volume growth and competitive advantage through development of differentiating strategies. Through knowledge of the market, competitive landscape, and use of transfer center analytics; identifies and communicates potential business opportunities to division and hospital leaders for further growth. Lead and supports direct reports who oversee daily Transfer Center operations including oversight of clinical processes, staff hiring, development, and training, as well as analytics support to Corporate/division/hospital leadership. Work with division and hospital management, departmental and interdepartmental staff, and physicians in identifying operational opportunities and inefficiencies, assists in the development and evaluation of alternatives and solutions, and drives the establishment of action plans for improvement. Lead the development of local transfer center strategic plans and innovative programs/services. Promote, educate, and hold employees responsible for providing excellent service to all customers, including patients, physicians, employees, and leadership. Align with division leadership and nursing on further evolution and implementation of the clinical command center project. Provide recommendations regarding marketing plans, promotional strategies, and strategic partnerships/affiliations. Some travel is required.

Essential Functions

• With active clinical participation, develop, and update Transfer Center marketing plan as it relates to differences in admission protocols according to specialty ensuring that all available network resources are used to their maximum potential.
• Monitor and incorporate planning, technological and service trends, including competition strategies.
• Integrate efforts of hospital management, information services and various other departments to enhance services offered in Patient Logistics.
• Monitors and evaluates the reports from EPIC/Encompass on Discharges, LOS, Avoidable Nights, Restraints, Daily Census, and bed availability. Acts on the information to improve the process of LOS reduction for AH Baldwin, AH Peach, and AH Medical Center Macon.
• Develop medical staff relationships to allow open communications, problem-solving, development of new services and identification of market needs with physicians.
• Assists with the development of performance objectives, relevant databases, annual budgets, operating plan, marketing plan, and business plan.
• With clinical and hospital leadership, represent patient coordination as part of site visit programs.
• Maintain open communications with medical staff to identify, monitor, and solve issues and problems.
• Oversees Transfer Center Operations ensuring timely and safe patient transfer from referring Institutions and outgoing Institutions.
• Communicate regularly with all referral physicians and Emergency Department Nurse Managers to determine their satisfaction with services and need for additional services.
• Work closely with medical staff and nursing directors to monitor quality of services provided by Patient Logistics.
• Continued refinement of patient placement protocols though collaboration with physician groups, clinical service, and ancillary departments as appropriate.
• Acts in partnership with Business Office supervisors working collaboratively to decrease claim rejections, billing errors, registration errors and delayed bills. Works in partnership with the leadership in Patient Access to ensure positive processes for flow of financial information and in promoting positive billing outcomes. Able to promote positive change in the revenue cycle process with improvement in days holding in accounts receivable.
• Responsible for the monitoring of key metrics for Revenue Cycle performance including the review of reports and Work Queues that support the A/R functions. Able to identify issues as they arise and formulate corrective action plans for the issues. Able to hold staff accountable for adhering to these corrective actions.
• Knowledgeable in EMTALA and other transfer regulations to the extent of delivering proper guidance and instruction in transfer situations. Monitors clinical interactions with transferring facilities for proper communication and instructions for transfer. Gathers data regarding transfers and analyzes for reporting.

Education, Training, and Experience

Master’s degree required, MSN, MHA, or MBA required.  Three years recent and relevant management experience required. Three years’ experience working with clinical documentation, coding practices, process improvement or healthcare reimbursement systems required to meet quality, financial and regulatory requirements. Knowledge of utilization review, case management, transfer regulations, EMTALA, and level of care screening.

Other Job Requirements, Licenses, Certifications

Must be a graduate of an approved school of professional nursing. BSN required. MSN preferred. Minimum of four (4) years of nursing experience. Of the four (4) years of experience required, two (2) years of experience in specialty is preferred. Minimum of two (2) years of previous nursing experience in progressively responsible leadership roles. Current Registered Nursing License with Georgia Board of Nursing or Current Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC). Recommend certification in relevant specialty.

Physical Requirements

Must be able to use visual acuity to see monitor screen, computer, and hard copy materials. Must be able to hear and verbally communicate in person and over the phone or radio. Must be able to sit for prolonged periods of time (up to 2 hours). Must be able to comprehend and learn operation of various office equipment. Must have functional range of motion of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spines, upper and lower extremities with a grip strength of 50-60# specific to job evaluation. Must be able to forward reach, overhead reach, bend, squat, kneel and apply proper body mechanics during the transfers and transport supplies and/or equipment using proper body mechanics. Must be able to lift to 10# specific to job evaluation.