RN, Targeted Review

Job Summary

Responsible for carrying out precertification and medical necessity reviews on all designated referrals as well as targeted outpatient procedures, services and inpatient admissions. The activities will include telephonic review for medical necessity of the RN designated targeted outpatient procedures, services and inpatient admissions, as well as referrals, utilizing established criteria and guidelines, retrospective ED reviews. In addition, they will perform eligibility and benefit reviews as necessary, identification of patients for case management, quality improvement reviews, and communicate with inpatient care coordinators, case managers, the SNF/Rehab care coordinator, members, providers, Customer Service, Claims, Contracts and Benefits - Appeals, Risk Management.

Essential Responsibilities

• Utilizes established criteria to perform precertification and referral review for all members requiring a procedure or service or with an admission diagnosis on the targeted review list for the RN.
• All referrals and precertification reviews will be performed within the required timeframe and the provider and member notified of the results.
• Refers all cases that do not meet established criteria to the appropriate review physician.
• Performs questionable benefit and eligibility reviews.
• Provides investigation and preparation of cases requiring review of the Chief of QRM: Non Contracted Providers.
• Understands the Complex Case Management Program and admission criteria and refers patients to the Complex Case Managers as appropriate.
• Provides correspondence, written and verbal, in accordance to policy and procedure for members with respect to referrals.
• Provides review of pended bills for specific types of referral cases.
• Interacts with physicians to ensure that resources are being utilized appropriately while maintaining quality outcomes.
• Establishes and maintains contact with patients and their families as appropriate, including the provision of education when needed.
• Refers the patient to the home care review team and/or social workers as appropriate.
• Ensures that the appropriate level of care is being delivered in the most appropriate setting based on established criteria and guidelines.
• Performs quality of care and service reviews using identified quality indicators.
• Coordinates and assists the Specialty Care Review Service Supervisor with ongoing physician education.
• Reviews the monthly analysis of statistics (cost/benefit) with the Specialty Care Review Services Supervisor and makes adjustments based on findings.
• Maintains effective interaction/communication with members of the medical staff, nursing staff, complex case managers, the SNF rounder, home care review team, social workers, inpatient care coordinators, referral coordinators, Member Services, Claims, Contracts and Benefits-Appeals, Risk Management and Kaiser Permanents medical offices to facilitate the precertification and referral process.
• Builds effective working relationships with physicians and other departments within the health plan.
• Assists in the development and revision of guidelines, pathways and protocols.
• Attends QRM Hospital UM meetings as requested.
• Investigates, identifies and reports problems and inefficiencies in existing systems, and recommends changes when appropriate to the Review Services Supervisor.
• Monitors utilization trends in the market area, keeping appropriate management informed.
• Initiates recommendations to facilitate reductions in utilization where appropriate.
• Refers cases identified as risk management, peer review or quality issues to QAIR and Risk Management.
• Document Review Activities to include: Medical necessity for admission/procedure. Diagnoses. Procedures performed. Demographic Data. Physicians involved in care. Other. Issue letters of non - coverage to members not meeting established medical necessity criteria.

Experience

• Minimum three (3) years of RN clinical nursing.
• Basic Qualifications: High school diploma or GED required. Registered Professional Nurse License (Georgia) required at hire.

Additional Requirements

• Working knowledge of all relevant federal, state, local and regulatory requirements including Medicare.
• Functional knowledge of computers.
• Experience with Managed Health Care Delivery Systems.
• Experience in ICD9/CPT4 coding.

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum three (3) years of clinical nursing; experience in ICU or medical/ surgical nursing care preferred.
• Minimum two (2) years of experience in utilization or case management, discharge planning and quality improvement in a health care or managed care setting preferred.
• Bachelor's degree (B.S.) in nursing.