Placement Coordinator

Department: Admissions / Business Development / Case Management
Location: Corporate Office
Reports To: Corporate Director of Business Development
FLSA Status: Salary Exempt 

Position Summary

The SNF Placement Coordinator is responsible for managing and coordinating patient referrals, admissions, and placement activities for skilled nursing facilities. This role serves as the liaison between hospitals, discharge planners, physicians, families, insurance providers, and facility leadership to ensure timely, appropriate, and compliant admissions into the facility.

The Placement Coordinator plays a critical role in census development, customer service, and transition of care management while ensuring compliance with CMS, Medicare, Medicaid, managed care, and state regulatory requirements. The ideal candidate must possess strong communication, relationship-building, clinical coordination, and organizational skills within the post-acute care environment.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Admissions & Placement Coordination

• Coordinate all incoming referrals for skilled nursing, rehabilitation, long-term care, respite, and specialty admissions.
• Review referral documentation for clinical appropriateness, payer eligibility, and bed availability.
• Collaborate with DON, Administrator, therapy, social services, and clinical leadership regarding admission approvals.
• Facilitate smooth transitions from hospitals, assisted living facilities, physician offices, and community settings.
• Ensure admissions are completed timely and accurately in accordance with facility procedures.
• Communicate admission decisions promptly to referral sources and families.

Hospital & Referral Source Relations

• Build and maintain strong professional relationships with:
  
  • Hospital case managers
  • Discharge planners
  • Social workers
  • Physicians
  • Insurance case managers
  • Community agencies
• Conduct routine hospital and community visits to strengthen referral partnerships and increase census growth.
• Represent the facility professionally at networking events, healthcare meetings, and community outreach opportunities.
• Maintain excellent customer service standards with families and referral partners.

Insurance & Financial Coordination

• Verify insurance coverage, authorization requirements, and payer eligibility prior to admission whenever possible.
• Coordinate with business office and managed care teams regarding:
  
  • Medicare
  • Medicaid
  • Managed care plans
  • Commercial insurance
  • Prior authorizations
• Assist families with understanding placement options, payer sources, and admission processes.

Census & Occupancy Management

• Support facility census goals through proactive referral management and occupancy planning.
• Monitor daily referral activity, pending admissions, denials, and bed availability.
• Maintain referral tracking logs and census reporting metrics.
• Analyze referral trends and identify opportunities for growth and process improvement.

Compliance & Documentation

• Ensure compliance with:
  
  • CMS regulations
  • HIPAA requirements
  • Medicare/Medicaid guidelines
  • State licensing requirements
  • Facility admission policies
• Maintain accurate documentation of referrals, admissions, and communication activities.
• Protect confidentiality of patient and facility information at all times.

Customer Service & Family Support

• Serve as a point of contact for families during the placement and admission process.
• Provide tours of the facility and explain services, programs, and expectations.
• Address concerns professionally and escalate issues appropriately when needed.
• Promote a compassionate, patient-centered experience throughout the admission process.

Qualifications

• High school diploma required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree preferred in healthcare administration, social work, marketing, nursing, or related field.
• Minimum of 2–3 years of experience in:
  
  • Skilled nursing admissions
  • Hospital discharge planning
  • Healthcare marketing
  • Case management
  • Insurance verification
  • Post-acute placement coordination
• Knowledge of Medicare, Medicaid, managed care, and SNF admission criteria preferred.
• Experience working within skilled nursing,