Care Coordinator- Remote Job For Physical and Occupational Therapists
Oct 19, 2021
Care Coordinator- Remote Job For Physical and Occupational Therapists
If you are looking for a job that doesn't require extra education, pays similar to clinical salary, a full time position with great benefits, and where you can work remotely at home - then we recommend you read this article on becoming a Care Coordinator!
What is a Care Coordinator?
So there are actually several different positions within the care coordinator heading. You have:
- Skilled inpatient care coordinator
- Cross market care coordinator
- Home Health care coordinator
- Transitional care coordinator
What does a Cross Market Care Coordinator do?
This is a unique role where you work both as a skilled inpatient care coordinator (SICC) and a transitional care coordinator (TCC). You serve as the communication provider between the patient and their interdisciplinary health care team in both the acute care and post-acute care (PAC) settings.
What essentially does a Cross Market Care Coordinator do?
1. You identify the appropriate post acute care setting and help with discharge planning efforts to improve that patient's rehabilitation outcomes.
2. You may be talking with physicians, patients, families/caregivers to help support the patient, family and team along the transition to various rehabilitation facilities.
What does a Skilled Inpatient Care Coordinator (SICC):
The Skilled Inpatient Care Coordinator (SICC) plays a similar role to helping patients achieve optimal recovery. Similarly to Cross Market Care Coordinator, they also conduct functional assessments, team meetings, and help with discharge planning but it's just more focused within the Skilled Inpatient Care setting.
What does a Transitional Care Coordinator (SICC):
The Transitional Care Coordinator (TICC) plays a similar role to helping patients achieve optimal recovery. Similarly to Cross Market Care Coordinator and the other care coordinator roles, they also conduct functional assessments, team meetings, and help with discharge planning but it's just more focus on the transitions from acute to other rehabilitation facilities.
What does a Home Health Care Coordinator (SICC):
The Home Health Care Coordinator (SICC) plays a similar role to helping patients achieve optimal recovery. Similarly to Cross Market Care Coordinator, they also conduct functional assessments, team meetings, and help with discharge planning but it's just more focused within the Home Health Care setting.
What do I need to be able to work from home as a Care Coordinator?
- Have a office or room that is quite with decent lighting
- Have a laptop or desktop
- I would also recommend a web camera and small extra light
- Working cell phone or landline
What is a typical day for a Care Coordinator? What are typical responsibilities or tasks you would perform as a Care Coordinator?
This is typically a full time role that is hybrid or part remote and part in a facility and is usually 9am-5pm or a similar time frame.
Also one thing that's awesome about these roles is that they train you! Your first month or so is just training - and it's paid training! So don't feel intimated if you do not have any knowledge in utilization review or care coordination.
- Collaborate with the medical team to assess, plan, implement and then monitor a patient's needs and healthcare journey/transition
- Provide the appropriate documentation of the patient's outcomes and transition process
- Perform phone calls with family, patients, caregivers or healthcare team to support discharge planning or post discharge support
- Attend team meetings or rounds as needed
- Provide patient education and functional assessments
- You may use certain tools to predict appropriate level of care, readmission risk and need for interventions
Who can apply to be a Care Coordinator?
- Physical Therapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Speech Therapists
What else do I need to qualify?
- Active, unrestricted license
- Usually several years of clinical experience required - they say this but we've had new grads, recent grads get hired so still apply!
- Case Management experience preferred - they say this but similar to above, we've had new grads and recent grads get hired and those with NO case management experience so still apply!
- Acute care, rehab, outpatient or skilled nursing facility experience is helpful. Don't worry if you only have acute care or home health or skilled nursing as with this job, you don't necessarily need to have experience in all rehabilitation the settings.
- They want team players, organized people, critical thinkers, good communicators and self motivators as you'll be working alone at home
- Previous PTA/OTA supervision is also a plus
- Experience performing team meetings with a variety of staff including physicians is a plus
- The more patient and family and peer education you have performed the better- this role is about education so the more you have a patient education background then the better
How do I know if I would like working as a Care Coordinator?
At Alternative Healthcare Careers, I love talking about remote positions - it's my passion! But there are quite a few positions out there, and it can be hard to know what one would be best for each person. Hopefully, in this section, I can help you know if you would like a job as Utilization Reviewer.
What you first need to know is that there are several very similar roles that fit the features of remote, full time, similar clinical salary, and no extra education required - these include:
- Utilization or Clinical Reviewer: (see our post on becoming a Utilization Reviewer here https://www.alternativehealthcarecareers.com/blog/utilization-review)
- Pre Service Coordinator: (see our post on becoming a Pre Service Coordinator here: https://www.alternativehealthcarecareers.com/blog/pre-service-coordinator)
- Skilled Inpatient or Home Health Care Coordinator (you are reading it now)
Each one is a little different in your role, in how much time you spend communicating (if any time) with patients, families or therapists, and the interactions you may have with a facility.
Here are the pro's about being a Care Coordinator:
- It's hybrid, about half time remote and half time in a facility - this is a pro and a con.
- More social, more interaction
- It's a full time employee position with great benefits
- It has upward mobility - yes I said it!
- Flexibility. This role, as well as the other 2 I mentioned above, after one year of working with naviHealth, you can actually move into other roles if you want to try those instead.
- I think this out of Utilization Review and Pre Service, gives you the most job satisfaction as you are still really helping the patient along the rehabilitation journey and you are interacting with them.
Here are some con's about being a Care Coordinator:
- Not 100% remote. You are about half and half or 2 out of the 5 days in the facility.
- You have to be social - so if you want no patient or even provider or team interaction, then this isn't the right fit
- You still are working with patients - if you want no patient interaction then this isn't the right fit
How to choose if Care Coordinator is the right fit for you (Summary):
Essentially, if you are want a remote job but also want to still be connected to patients then this is a good fit. You are more active, has more patient interaction but without the heavy lifting, and you can really help you patient's get quality rehabilitation.
Pre-Service Coordinator has a very similar feel and pros/cons, but it has just a little less interaction with people but it is full remote. You can read more about this role here:https://www.alternativehealthcarecareers.com/blog/pre-service-coordinator.
Now if you want no patient and family interaction and be 100% remote, then I think a utilization reviewer role would be a better fit for you and you can read more about what is a utilization reviewer here:https://www.alternativehealthcarecareers.com/blog/utilization-review.
Become a Utilization Reviewer, Care Coordinator or Pre-Service Coordinator Today!
We really hope this article has helped you understand if this position is the right fit for you! We encourage you to check out those other positions too and if you want to take the leap - we do have a complete course that includes CEU credits, resume review and edit, over 6 hours of step by step videos, interview questions and answers, and resume templates and samples for all professions and roles, monthly job emails and constant support if you have any questions. We've had now over 300 students with a high job success rate!
You can learn more about our program here: https://alternativehealthcarecareers.com/courses/becomeautilizationreviewer
Want to get hired as Utilization Reviewer?
Check out our amazing program that has helped over 400 students! We teach you how to finally get a position within Utilization Management (including appeals & denials, pre service care coordinator, skilled inpatient care coordinator and more)
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