Position Summary
We are seeking an experienced, relationship-driven Patient Care Liaison / Business Development Professional to support census growth, strengthen referral partnerships, and expand the market presence of our Skilled Nursing Facility.
This position is responsible for developing and maintaining strategic relationships with hospitals, physicians, case managers, discharge planners, health plans, senior living communities, and other healthcare referral sources. The Patient Care Liaison will serve as a trusted resource to referral partners, residents, and families by clearly communicating the facility’s services, capabilities, and admissions process.
The ideal candidate has a strong understanding of post-acute care, skilled nursing services, healthcare sales, and referral development. This individual should be comfortable working independently in the community while collaborating closely with facility leadership, admissions, nursing, therapy, and regional business development teams.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain strong professional relationships with hospitals, physicians, case managers, discharge planners, health plans, home health agencies, senior living communities, and other referral sources.
- Identify and pursue new referral opportunities within the facility’s service area.
- Promote the facility’s skilled nursing, rehabilitation, long-term care, and other applicable clinical services.
- Conduct regular in-person visits, presentations, networking activities, and follow-up communication with referral partners.
- Serve as a primary point of contact for referral sources throughout the referral and admissions process.
- Communicate facility capabilities, clinical programs, bed availability, insurance participation, and admissions requirements accurately and professionally.
- Work closely with the admissions team to facilitate timely referral review, insurance verification, clinical evaluation, and admission decisions.
- Assist prospective residents and families in understanding available services and navigating the admissions process.
- Monitor referral patterns, conversion rates, census trends, and market activity.
- Develop and execute strategic business development plans designed to increase qualified referrals and improve census.
- Maintain accurate documentation of sales activities, referral source interactions, follow-up items, and outcomes.
- Participate in daily census, admissions, or business development meetings as requested.
- Collaborate with nursing, therapy, social services, administration, and other departments to ensure the facility can appropriately meet the needs of referred residents.
- Maintain awareness of competitors, market trends, hospital discharge patterns, payer changes, and opportunities for service-line growth.
- Represent the facility at community events, professional organizations, healthcare meetings, and networking opportunities.
- Support the mentorship, coaching, and development of business development or admissions staff as assigned.
- Assist with establishing consistent referral-development processes and performance expectations across the organization or region.
- Maintain confidentiality and comply with HIPAA, company policies, and all applicable federal and state healthcare regulations.
- Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Qualifications
- Previous experience in healthcare sales, business development, admissions, marketing, or referral development is required.
- Experience within skilled nursing, post-acute care, rehabilitation, home health, hospice, senior living, hospital services, or a related healthcare setting is strongly preferred.
- Strong understanding of the post-acute referral and discharge-planning process.
- Demonstrated ability to establish relationships and generate measurable referral or census growth.
- Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to communicate effectively with healthcare professionals, residents, families, and organizational leadership.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple referral relationships and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, electronic referral systems, customer relationship management systems, and other business-development technology.
- Ability to analyze referral activity, conversion performance, and market data.
- Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and the ability to travel throughout the assigned market.
- Ability to work occasional evenings or weekends for networking events, referral needs, or organizational activities.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, healthcare administration, nursing, social work, communications, or a related field.
- Clinical licensure or previous clinical healthcare experience.
- Established relationships with hospitals, case managers, physicians, health plans, or community healthcare organizations in the local market.
- Experience mentoring or coaching admissions or business development professionals.
- Knowledge of Medicare, Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, managed care, and commercial insurance referral processes.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Relationship development and account management
- Healthcare sales and strategic marketing
- Skilled nursing and post-acute care knowledge
- Referral development and census growth
- Public speaking and professional presentations
- Lead tracking and referral conversion
- Market and competitor analysis
- Strategic planning and goal execution
- Professional judgment and problem-solving
- Team collaboration and leadership
Performance Expectations
Success in this position may be measured through:
- Growth in qualified referrals and admissions
- Referral-to-admission conversion rates
- Facility census and skilled census growth
- Development of new referral sources
- Retention and engagement of existing referral partners
- Frequency and quality of referral-source interactions
- Accuracy and timeliness of referral follow-up
- Achievement of established business development goals
Work Environment
This position includes a combination of facility-based work and travel throughout the assigned market. The Patient Care Liaison will regularly visit hospitals, physician offices, healthcare organizations, senior living communities, and other referral locations.
Physical Requirements
The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation. The role may require prolonged periods of sitting, standing, walking, driving, using a computer, and communicating by telephone or in person.
Why Join Our Team?
- Opportunity to make a direct impact on residents, families, and facility growth
- Collaborative leadership and interdisciplinary support
- Competitive compensation
- Performance-based incentive opportunities, where applicable
- Health, dental, vision, and other employee benefits, where applicable
- Paid time off and paid holidays, where applicable
- Opportunities for professional development and career advancement
Affirmative Action Statement
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We actively seek to recruit, hire, and promote individuals from all backgrounds, including but not limited to women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, protected veterans, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. We are proud to be an affirmative action employer and encourage all qualified candidates to apply.
Reasonable Accommodation Statement
Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Tennessee Anti-Discrimination Act, it is the policy of the facility to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact the Administrator.
Pay: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
