🚀 Manager of Inpatient Referral Services and Worker’s Compensation Relations

About Shepherd Center

With five decades of experience, Shepherd Center provides world‑class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi‑trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. An elite center ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation, Shepherd Center is also recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems. Shepherd is the only rehabilitation facility in the nation with an intensive care unit on‑site, allowing us to care for the most complex patients and begin the rehabilitation process sooner. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again.

Shepherd Center’s culture is one of hope, humor, and hard work. You will enjoy career growth, strong relationships with co‑workers, strong support from leadership, and fun activities that have kept over 12% of staff members working at Shepherd for more than 20 years.

The Manager of Inpatient Referral Services and Worker's Compensation Relations is responsible for overseeing a team that manages all aspects of patient referrals and the admissions process for inpatient rehabilitation. This role ensures efficient, patient‑centered workflows and fosters strong relationships with referral sources, including worker’s compensation partners and other stakeholders. Responsible for the oversight of staffing schedules, productivity standards, employee competency documentation, Touchpoint performance management processes including evaluations, performance improvement programs, staff education and special projects as assigned. The manager collaborates across departments—Including Case Management, Bed Management, Finance and Marketing—to drive continuous improvement and support strategic growth initiatives that optimize census. This position also plays a key external‑facing role, representing the organization at professional conferences and coordinating continuing education opportunities for referral partners. This position acts on behalf of the Director in their absence.

• Supervise daily operations of the Clinical Access Manager (CAM), the Access Case Managers (ACMs) and the other triage / admissions team members, ensuring timely and accurate response to inquiries and efficient admissions processing.
• Provides direct support for the CAM to oversee the triage of incoming referrals, confirming clinical appropriateness, insurance eligibility, and authorization requirements.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex admissions and referral issues as needed.
• Support recruitment, training, development, and performance management of referral / admission staff.
• Provide on‑site support for remote ACMs as needed.
• Support the collaboration with the bed management team and other leaders to ensure timely patient placement and optimize occupancy.
• Oversee and monitor referral trends, conversion rates, and census performance; prepare and present related reports to leadership and / or supports CAM in these responsibilities.
• Develop, implement, and refine policies and procedures to support efficient and compliant admission operations.
• Ensure compliance with HIPAA, CMS, Joint Commission, and state / federal regulations regarding admissions and referral practices.
• Liaison with the Clinical Outreach and Education Coordinator to ensure a coordinated approach for annual conference planning and coverage.
• Coordinate and attend appropriate professional conferences, including but not limited to key workers’ compensation conferences—to represent the organization and strengthen referral relationships.
• Plan and facilitate educational sessions that offer CEUs (Continuing Education Units) for external worker’s compensation case managers, in alignment with organizational outreach and marketing strategies. Work with the Director of Professional Education to utilize existing resources.
• Provide concierge‑level outreach and service for worker’s compensation external case managers, adjustors, and other referral stakeholders.
• Conducts annual and semi‑annual needs assessment for the worker’s compensation stakeholders.
• Develop plans to address process improvement opportunities.
• Manager will coordinate and plan Town Hall meetings one to two times a year, focusing on the assessment results.
• Manage and resolve customer service concerns from referral sources with professionalism and urgency. Escalate to Director as needed.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Business Development to align external messaging and outreach strategies with census goals.
• Participate in strategic planning, including service line development and market expansion initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Supervision

• Provide operational leadership to the admissions and referral team, ensuring accountability and excellence.
• Provides oversight of regular team huddles. Facilitate staff training, performing Touchpoints and performance reviews.

Referral & Stakeholder Engagement

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with referral sources, including hospitals / healthcare networks, referring physicians, and worker’s compensation partners.
• Coordinate continuing education and engagement opportunities for external case managers and adjustors.

Process Improvement & Collaboration

• Partner with Case Management, Bed Management, and other stakeholders to continuously improve admission workflows.
• Collaborate with Marketing on strategic initiatives to drive referral volume and enhance visibility.

Strategic Growth & Census Optimization

• Support targeted outreach to drive referrals, enhance patient access, and maintain optimal census levels.
• Represent the organization at conferences and industry events to expand market presence.

Customer Service & External Relations

• Act as the primary contact for worker’s compensation case managers and adjustors, ensuring high‑quality communication and follow‑through.
• Address and resolve service concerns with a customer‑first, concierge approach.

Compliance & Reporting

• Monitor, report, and act on key performance indicators related to referral volume, conversion rates, and patient satisfaction.
• Maintain compliance with all regulatory and organizational requirements.

Qualifications: Required

• Minimum of 2‑5 years broad clinical experience, including experience in one or more of these areas: care coordination, case management, discharge planning, utilization review, healthcare admissions, business management.
• Referral management or case coordination in a supervisory or managerial capacity.
• Bachelor’s degree in nursing or other related clinical fields.
• Business Management must be accompanied by clinical experience.
• Certified in Case Management (Case Management Society of America, American Case Management Association, American Nurses Credentialing Center, or equivalent certification within twelve (12) months of eligibility).
• Excellent interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills.
• Strong understanding of the worker’s compensation referral process.
• Influential leadership skills.
• Demonstrates ability to effect change by assuming leadership roles in interdisciplinary teams and supporting the growth and development of team members.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in nursing, healthcare admissions / administration, business.
• Experience pairing clinical experience with a relevant advanced degree.
• Experience planning CEU programs and attending professional healthcare conferences.
• Experience in inpatient rehabilitation or related post‑acute care setting.

Working Conditions

• Office‑based with frequent cross‑departmental interactions.
• May require up to 40‑50% travel to develop relationships, supervise remote employees and support events.
• Visits to referral partner sites, external case management teams, and industry events required.

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