Patient Flow Coordinator

Job Summary

The Patient Flow Coordinator (PFC) is a highly experienced clinician responsible for proactively identifying and resolving barriers to inpatient progression and discharge. This role partners closely with frontline staff, physician leaders, care management, and executive leadership to optimize daily discharge performance, reduce avoidable delays, and improve hospital-wide throughput. The PFC operates with influence rather than direct responsibility and is empowered through executive sponsorship from hospital leadership. This person must possess strong clinical judgment, operational insight, and the interpersonal presence to drive action across multidisciplinary teams.

Operates with influence rather than direct responsibility and is empowered through executive sponsorship from hospital leadership to assist with multi layered problem solving. This person must possess strong clinical judgment, operational insight, and the interpersonal presence to drive action across multidisciplinary teams. Demonstrates a high level of skill, expertise, and experience in patient care processes.

Success in this role is measured by improved length of stay performance, effective escalation and barrier resolution, enhanced discharge efficiency, and strong engagement of frontline teams in care progression processes.

Essential Functions

• Clinical & Operational Judgement

  • Strong understanding of inpatient care delivery, patient flow, and discharge processes across acute and post‑acute settings

  • Ability to distinguish clinical readiness barriers from operational, psychosocial, and external (post‑acute / payer) constraints

  • Working knowledge of utilization management concepts, patient status, and level‑of‑care progression as they impact throughput

• Throughput & Progression Expertise

  • Demonstrated ability to identify and address length‑of‑stay drivers, avoidable days, and care progression delays

  • Experience supporting early and proactive discharge planning and parallel processing of care tasks

  • Ability to maintain real‑time situational awareness of patient progression, unit capacity, and system bottlenecks

• Barrier Identification & Escalation

  • Proven skill in proactively identifying barriers to care progression and discharge

  • Ability to prioritize issues based on patient impact, safety, and operational risk

  • Effectiveness in escalating issues through defined pathways and following through to resolution

  • Comfort operating in ambiguity and making decisions without formal authority Required Communication

• Collaboration & Relationship Management

  • Ability to build trust and credibility with physicians, nursing, care management, therapy, and ancillary teams

  • Demonstrated teamwork across clinical, operational, and administrative disciplines

  • Comfort serving as a connector between frontline teams and operational leadership

• Data Awareness & Accountability

  • Ability to interpret basic throughput and LOS data (e.g., EDD, O/E LOS, avoidable days) to guide prioritization

  • Attention to detail in tracking actions, follow‑ups, and resolution of barriers

  • Accountability for outcomes, not just identification of issues

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's Degree in a healthcare related field such as nursing, social work, allied health, pharmacy, etc

• 5 years of relevant related experience

• At least 1 year of employment at Corewell Health

• Must hold at least one license from the list below upon hire:

  • LIC-Registered Nurse (RN)

  • LIC-Clinical Pharmacist

  • LIC-Physical Therapist

  • CRT-Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR)

  • LIC-Master Social Worker (MSW-Master)

  • LIC-Bachelor Social Worker

  • LIC-Medical Imaging

About Corewell Health

As a team member at Corewell Health, you will play an essential role in delivering personalized health care to our patients, members and our communities. We are committed to cultivating and investing in YOU. Our top-notch teams are comprised of collaborators, leaders and innovators that continue to build on one shared mission statement - to improve health, instill humanity and inspire hope. Join a nationally recognized health system with an ambitious vision of continued advancement and excellence.

How Corewell Health cares for you

• Comprehensive benefits package to meet your financial, health, and work/life balance goals. Learn more here.
• On-demand pay program powered by Payactiv
• Discounts directory with deals on the things that matter to you, like restaurants, phone plans, spas, and more!
• Optional identity theft protection, home and auto insurance
• Traditional and Roth retirement options with service contribution and match savings
• Eligibility for benefits is determined by employment type and status

Primary Location

SITE - Royal Oak Hospital - 3601 W 13 Mile Rd - Royal Oak

Department Name

Site Admin - Royal Oak Hosp

Employment Type

Full time

Shift

Day (United States of America)

Weekly Scheduled Hours

40

Hours of Work

8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Days Worked

Monday to Friday

Weekend Frequency

Variable weekends

CURRENT COREWELL HEALTH TEAM MEMBERS – Please apply through Find Jobs from your Workday team member account. This career site is for Non-Corewell Health team members only.

Corewell Health is committed to providing a safe environment for our team members, patients, visitors, and community. We require a drug-free workplace and require team members to comply with the MMR, Varicella, Tdap, and Influenza vaccine requirement if in an on-site or hybrid workplace category. We are committed to supporting prospective team members who require reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application process, to perform the essential functions of a job, or to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment due to a disability, pregnancy, or sincerely held religious belief.

Corewell Health grants equal employment opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, religion, genetic information, marital status, height, weight, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other legally protected category.

An interconnected, collaborative culture where all are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work, is vital to the health of our organization. As a health system, we advocate for equity as we care for our patients, our communities, and each other. From workshops that develop cultural intelligence, to our inclusion resource groups for people to find community and empowerment at work, we are dedicated to ongoing resources that advance our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all that we do. We invite those that share in our commitment to join our team.

You may request assistance in completing the application process by calling 616.486.7447.