Patient Placement Coordinator (Healthcare Operations Specialist)

Department Overview

OHSU is Oregon’s only public academic health center. We are a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and southwest Washington. We are an institution of higher learning, with schools of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry and public health – and with a network of campuses and partners throughout Oregon. We are a national research hub, with thousands of scientists developing lifesaving therapies and deeper understanding. We are a statewide economic engine and Portland’s largest employer. And as a public organization, we provide services for the most vulnerable Oregonians, and outreach to improve health in communities across the state.

The Patient Placement Coordinator utilizes their knowledge and expertise to facilitate patient placement throughout the organization. This dynamic office manages multiple phone lines while assigning patients accurately and in a timely manner, minimizing patient delays. The Patient Placement Coordinator works with highly sensitive and confidential patient information while performing bed control activities, as well as reconciling the daily OR schedule. Flexibility is required of the Patient Placement Coordinator to cover all shifts, including vacations, sick calls, and holiday coverage.

Function/Duties of Position

• Coordinate and strategize the complex placement of incoming clinic admissions, inter-hospital transfers, and post-operative patients in accordance with hospital policies using EPIC Bed Planning software.

• Communicate ongoing changes and challenges to the Bed Flow Manager (BFM) and/or Administrator on Duty (AOD) and escalate concerns to the Physician on Duty as needed.

• Communicate with charge nurses, clinic staff, and physician teams regarding patient bed assignments for both scheduled and unscheduled admissions. Accurately relay information regarding diagnoses and special patient needs.

• Engage in continual problem-solving to maintain positive patient flow under tight timeframes and limited bed resources. Multitask according to changing priorities.

• Collaborate with the OHSU Transfer Center to ensure timely patient assignments, particularly for emergent transfers.

• Collaborate with the BFM and AOD to manage ICU patient flow.

• Collaborate with Housekeeping to manage and prioritize patient room cleaning.

• Manage patient assignments for the Internal Medicine teams.

• Prepare for the daily bed meeting and assess admission capacity by communicating with the relevant charge nurses in a timely manner; assess the need for an overflow plan.

• Reconcile the Operating Room schedule for the next day. This includes comparing the OR schedule and reservation list, contacting schedulers for error reconciliation, correcting errors in EPIC, identifying potential problems, and involving the Bed Flow Manager as needed

• Prepare an end-of-shift report for management, including census justification and identification of acute care patients who remained in the ICU overnight without a bed assignment.

Required Qualifications

• Five years of experience in a clinical or administrative support role in a complex medical environment; may consider five years of experience in a dynamic office environment with similar responsibilities, or three years of experience in either setting and a bachelor’s degree.

Job Related Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Competencies): 

• Demonstrated ability to work in a high stress setting, to adapt to rapidly changing work environment, and to respond to multiple complex events simultaneously.
• Requires excellent written and oral communication, database skills, and ability to type 45 words per minute.
• Demonstrated ability to problem solve and use critical thinking skills under tight deadlines.
• Must be flexible, self-motivated, accustomed to frequent interruptions, attentive to detail, and comfortable with change.
• Proven ability to work in teams and as well as independently. 
• Organizational skills, attention to detail, accuracy, and ability to provide diligent follow through. Excellent interpersonal communication skills with particular emphasis on phone etiquette 

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree
• Proficiency in medical terminology
• Proficiency in Epic Proficiency in Kronos and/or Oracle
• Understanding of ONA and AFSCME contracts or collective bargaining agreements 
• HUC or CNA II

Additional Details

Frequent need to complete activities with time frames and quick turn-around. Occasional exposure to upset individuals. Frequent exposure to workplace noise and stressors.

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington.
All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact [email protected]