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 to coordinate a complex discharge involving multiple barriers, like housing instability or lack of family support.

real experience managing multi-layered discharge planning and resourcefulness with community resources

Describe a time you caught a potential denial risk during a concurrent review and what you did about it.

hands-on utilization review experience and proactive denial management

Tell me about a time you worked closely with social work or unlicensed support staff on a case with safety concerns. How did you divide responsibilities?

understanding of role boundaries and collaborative teamwork within a care management team

Describe a situation where a patient's insurance or payer pushed back on continued stay or services. How did you advocate for the patient while managing the payer relationship?

experience with payer communication and utilization management under real pressure

Tell me about a time your discharge plan changed suddenly, maybe the patient's condition worsened or family circumstances shifted. How did you adjust?

flexibility and ability to re-plan quickly without dropping documentation or communication

Technical

How do you stay current on Medicare A and B guidelines, and can you give an example of when that knowledge changed how you managed a case?

actual working knowledge of regulatory guidelines versus surface familiarity

What's your process for delivering CMS regulatory notices, and how do you make sure they go out within the required timeframes?

concrete familiarity with compliance mechanics, not just awareness that the requirement exists

How do you approach building a case for a patient who needs a level of care that isn't easily available in the community, like a skilled nursing bed during a shortage?

practical knowledge of community resource networks and problem-solving when standard options are unavailable

How do you use the electronic health record to track and document your discharge planning and UM activity so nothing falls through the cracks?

comfort and rigor with EHR-based documentation workflows required for compliance

Situational

Walk me through how you'd handle a patient who is medically ready for discharge but the family is refusing to accept the plan.

whether the candidate can balance patient/family autonomy with clinical and organizational timelines without escalating conflict

A physician disagrees with your assessment that a patient no longer meets inpatient criteria. What do you do?

ability to navigate physician relationships and escalate appropriately to a physician advisor without avoiding conflict

How do you prioritize your caseload on a day when you have five patients all needing discharge planning and a new admission just came in?

organizational skill and triage judgment under realistic daily volume

What would you do if you noticed a pattern of avoidable delays on your unit, for example patients waiting on tests or consults that push back discharge?

initiative in identifying systemic barriers and working with the multidisciplinary team to resolve them

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 11200 Advocate Christ Medical Center - Case Management Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: Mon-Fri 0800-1630 With Weekend and Holiday rotation Pay Range: $38.20 - $57.30 INPATIENT CARE MANAGER - 1.0 Full Time days 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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