JobsAdvocate Health

INPATIENT CARE MANAGER

Advocate Health · Oak Lawn, IL

Posted Aug 25, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you had a family that disagreed with the discharge plan the team thought was safest. What did you do?

skill negotiating between clinical judgment and family wishes without escalating conflict

Tell me about a time a payer pushed back on continued stay or denied coverage. How did you handle the clinical update and the denial process?

real experience with payer communication and denial management, not just familiarity with the concept

Describe a case where the family situation was more complicated than the medical situation, maybe housing, finances, or family discord getting in the way of discharge.

comfort managing psychosocial complexity beyond pure clinical case management

Tell me about a community resource or agency relationship you built or relied on to get a patient placed or set up after discharge.

real-world familiarity with external referral networks, not just a checklist mentality

Technical

Walk me through how you'd do a discharge planning assessment on a new pediatric admission, starting from the day of admission.

whether the candidate starts planning early rather than waiting until the patient is medically ready to leave

How do you decide when a case needs to go to the physician advisor?

understanding of utilization review escalation criteria and where the line is between care coordination and UM

What do you know about Medicare A and B guidelines as they relate to length of stay and level of care decisions?

baseline regulatory knowledge required for UM activities on this job

How do you deliver a CMS regulatory notice, like an Important Message from Medicare, and what happens if the timing gets missed?

concrete knowledge of compliance timeframes and what's at stake if they slip

How do you work with social work and unlicensed support staff on a shared case? Where do you draw the line on who does what?

understanding of scope of practice and team collaboration in a multidisciplinary care model

How comfortable are you documenting concurrent and retrospective reviews in the electronic health record, and what does a complete note look like to you?

practical EHR fluency and understanding of what makes documentation audit-ready

What does age-specific care mean to you when you're doing discharge planning for a newborn versus a teenager?

whether the candidate actually adjusts assessment and communication approach for pediatric age ranges, given this is a children's hospital

Situational

Say you're floating to a unit you don't normally cover and the census is high with three discharges due out same day. How do you prioritize your time?

ability to triage workload independently in an unfamiliar, high-pressure setting, since this is a float role

If a physician wants to discharge a patient today but you see a gap, maybe no safe home setup or a denied equipment request, what do you do in that moment?

willingness and ability to advocate and delay discharge appropriately despite pressure from medical staff

You're covering Saturday and a family wants to bring a medically stable but socially complex child home to an environment you're not sure is safe. Walk me through what you'd actually do before end of shift.

judgment under time pressure with limited support staff on weekends, plus willingness to involve the right people

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 11211 Advocate Christ Medical Center - Social Services: ACH Status: Part time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 20 Schedule Details/Additional Information: float position, part time including 2 Saturdays a month. Cover for PTO and support high census areas Pay Range: $38.20 - $57.30 MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES Conducts complete assessments, establishes appropriate plans, and initiates interventions within desired timeframes. Collaborates and negotiates effectively with patient, family, and team while striving to achieve patient and organizational goals with regard to patient’s care needs, choice and satisfaction when discharge planning/transitioning care. Utilizes patient/family strengths in the problem-solving process, involving the patient/family and team in the decision-making process beginning on admission and continuing throughout patient’s hospital stay. Provides continuity of care and discharge planning services compliant with regulatory standards by providing coordinated relevant options and services based on assessed needs to ensure patient/family and healthcare team is informed and able to proceed with accountabilities in a timely manner. This includes participating in the communication process to facilitate a smooth transition for patient, family, and staff when patients are transferred. Provides case management services related to various levels of health care, finances, housing, family discord, or illness adjustment, based department scope. This may include managing family dynamics and crisis situations in a timely and professional manner, using community resources effectively, and educating patient/family regarding access to and use of services. Initiates internal and external referrals to assure timely progression of care and transitions. Documents discharge planning interventions and utilization review activity per department and medical center standards in a timely manner. Performs and documents accurate and timely concurrent and retrospective reviews based on approved established criteria as required by department standards. Communicates effectively with the healthcare team. Works in partnership with Social Work and unlicensed support personnel to effectively establish and implement a safe plan of care. Serves as an active member of the Outcome Facilitation Team/Patient Care Multidisciplinary Team and works closely with medical staff, hospital departments and ancillary services in identification and resolution of barriers to discharge, expediting care delivery to avoid delays in timely service provision, and implementing and reporting care coordination, discharge planning and utilization management (UM) activities. Collaborates with managers, physicians, medical directors, advisory groups, and treatment teams for issues related to physician practices and best practices for the patient’s plan of care. Refers cases to physician advisor as needed to ensure efficient progression of care, accurate status, and compliance with regulatory guidelines. Remains knowledgeable in issues of healthcare regulations, reimbursement issues, impact on length of stay and community resources. Completes UM activities as required based on local structure to include providing clinical updates to payers and/or external review organizations, collecting data, coordinating denial activity, supporting UM activity, and managing avoidable delays. Delivers CMS regulatory notices within CMS established timeframes, as appropriate based on-site guidelines. Develops and maintains productive relationships with community-based agencies and networks by representing Advocate Aurora Health Care in a positive manner working collaboratively, internally, and externally, to meet patient/family needs. Works in collaboration with Advocate Aurora Ambulatory Care Management and Continuing Health to meet common goals and outcomes. Serves as an educator and expert resource to medical and hospital staff regarding admission status and acute care criteria, utilization management issues, care coordination and discharge planning needs, and relevant regulatory requirements. Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards. License/Registration/Certification: Registered Nurse License issued by the state in which the Team Member practices. Level of Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing Years of Experience: 2 years of clinical nursing experience. KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES Ability to prioritize and organize work. Effective communication skills. Utilization of critical thinking and timely decision making. Ability to navigate the Electronic Health Record. Basic utilization of MS Office products. Knowledge of Medicare A and B guidelines. Knowledge of Managed Care program requirements/implications. Ability to apply elements of Utilization Management programs. Physical REQUIREMENTS Must be able to sit up to approximately 50 percent of the workday; stand and walk for the equivalent of several blocks at a time. Must lift up to 10 lbs. continuously, up to 20 lbs. frequently, and up to 50 lbs. occasionally. Manual dexterity required for operation computer and calculator. Visual acuity required for facilitating review of written documents/computer screens, medical records, and to record information accurately. Clear verbal communications and hearing acuity required for receiving instructions and converse on standard telephone. Functional speech and hearing to allow for effective communication of instructions and conversation over the telephone. Exposed to normal office environment; including usual hazards related to operating electrical equipment. Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job. This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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