Access Center Clinician - Patient Access - Days/ Evenings/ Nights

PRN as needed

Days / Evenings / Nights

General Summary

Assists with initial triage and assessment, provides clinical oversight, facilitates the admissions process and serves as a resource about internal and external services. Assists with security and patient behavioral management, and provides crisis intervention services.

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions:

• Triages requests for service, providing prompt assistance to all requests in relation to their urgency.
• Documents all requests for service using computerized inquiry functions.
• Maintains a knowledge base of insurance/managed care processes related to pre-certifications and authorizations, and completes these as required.
• Utilizes a structured interview tool to conduct an in-depth clinical assessment, and documents this using approved WellSpan Philhaven evaluation forms.
• Determines appropriate level of care based on the client’s history, psychosocial history, clinical presentation, and funding situation.
• Instructs and assists the client and client family in completing all necessary paperwork, and witnesses signatures as necessary.
• Works cooperatively with program staff to transition the client to the program, and participates in the conference call with the psychiatrist as necessary. Provides a summary of pertinent clinical information and special needs as a part of this process.
• Interacts with all clients and family members with an awareness of confidentiality requirements and patient rights issues, and sensitivity to the client’s and family’s level of distress and needs.
• Assists licensed individual practitioners with initial assessment of patients as they enter triage services; including dictation of assessment activities.
• Completes all necessary procedures and/or documentation to have treatment authorized by 3rd party payers.
• Completes all necessary procedures and /or documentation necessary to refer patients to other levels of care when appropriate, and / or to other types of service when needed.
• Communicates with and coordinate care with other providers or agencies who may be working with the patient including, but not limited to, the primary care physician, the school, Probation & Parole, Children & Youth, attorneys, clergy, and so forth.
• Provides support to and assists Counselors in problem solving to determine a preferred course of action in dealing with difficult situations.
• Maintains an awareness of community resources and provides this information to clients as requested.
• Serves as an initial contact for internal emergencies, administrative concerns, and public relations issues, and directs these contacts to the appropriate WellSpan Philhaven staff.
• Maintains an awareness of campus security issues, conducts security rounds and campus drive-through as scheduled, and communicates with other WellSpan Philhaven staff as necessary.
• Maintains an awareness of WellSpan Philhaven’s admission criteria and the Mental Health Procedures Act, and serves as a resource for other WellSpan Philhaven staff concerning appropriateness for admission and mental health legal requirements.
• Maintains a knowledge base of behavioral management techniques and assists in behavioral management emergencies throughout the campus.
• Completes training as a designated Mental Health Delegate to initiate involuntary commitments as needed.
• Completes necessary training and provides telephone crisis services when primary Crisis Intervention Counselor is not available.
• If requested to do so, completes the necessary training and serves as a primary Crisis Intervention Counselor when required.
• Performs hospital security and safety duties in line with guidelines outlined at the basic training level of the International Association of Healthcare Safety and Security.

Common Expectations:

• Prioritizes workload and manages time effectively in order to best serve other staff and potential clients.
• Maintains a constant awareness of customer service, and assists customers until their needs are satisfied.
• Completes Service Activity accurately and on a timely basis.
• Maintains an accurate and up-to-date awareness of WellSpan Philhaven programs and services, and provides this information to clients as requested.