MacKenzie Kolka
Johnson City,TN
Summary
Dedicated Case Manager with over five years of experience in healthcare settings. Expertise in managing patient transitions of care, conducting utilization reviews, and leading interdisciplinary teams in an inpatient rehabilitation hospital setting. Focused on improving care quality and reducing readmission rates through effective resource management.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Case Manager
Quillen Rehab
Johnson City, Tennessee
08.2022 - Current
- Crosstrain at multiple hospital sites to uphold continuity of care, adapt to diverse clinical environments, and ongoing application of case management protocols across varied healthcare systems.
- Trains new case managers, providing direction on policies, procedures, and best practices to ensure high-quality, consistent care coordination and compliance within the hospital.
- Conducts comprehensive utilization reviews to assess medical necessity, appropriateness of care, and resource efficiency, aligning with payer guidelines and enhancing patient outcomes.
- Manages patient length of stay and identifies avoidable hospital days by collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, revising discharge planning, and addressing barriers to timely transitions of care and coordination.
- Acts as interim lead case manager during supervisor's absence by managing daily workflow, supporting department, and resolving operational issues to maintain productivity and service delivery.
- Engages in the hospital's Health Disparities Subgroup to develop strategies that enhance patient understanding, reduce readmission rates, and prepare patients for successful transitions from hospital to home.
Case Manager PRN
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Bristol
Bristol, Virginia
04.2021 - Current
- Ensure discharged patients receive proper resources, services, and referrals for continued care.
- Participates in the initial case management review of new admissions, ensuring thorough assessment and alignment with care standards.
- Maintains accurate documentation and prepares necessary reports for collaborating organizations.
- Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams, including physicians, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists, through team conferences to review patient progress toward goals, facilitate timely discharge planning, and address barriers to discharge.
School-based Case Manager
Frontier Health
Bristol, Tennessee
09.2021 - 07.2022
- Served as the primary liaison between the nonprofit agency and school district staff, facilitating coordination of student support services and ensuring partnership agreements.
- Identified and assessed at-risk students through collaboration with teachers, counselors, parents, and caregivers, to assess and implement interventions to improve academic performance and behavioral concerns early.
- Monitored a case load of 40 clients by creating, reviewing and revising treatment plans for compliance with internal policies and school regulations, to contribute to overall quality assurance, upholding standards, and reducing liability.
Administrative Intern
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Bristol
Bristol, Virginia
01.2021 - 05.2021
- Assisted with the Director of Quality and Risk to track outcomes and organized detailed reports aligned with improvement initiatives, ensuring ongoing management of patient satisfaction.
- Developed an oral hygiene infographic and conducted staff meetings to educate on best practices on promoting patient safety, reduce infection risk, and reinforce the importance of daily oral care in clinical settings.
- Provided administrative support to senior management team through daily operations and projects.
Graduate Assistant
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, Tennessee
08.2019 - 05.2021
- Assisted with accurate and timely data entry of program and performance metrics according to established protocols, under the guidance by the Quality Supervisor, to support regulatory compliance.
- Conducted phone interviews with alumni to gather post-graduate employment data, maintaining response rates above departmental benchmarks and consistency in responses.
- Designed, reviewed, and analyzed survey models to evaluate program effectiveness and alumni outcomes, aligning survey content with accreditation requirements and department of professional development.
- Analyzed quantitative and qualitative survey results utilizing Excel to identify trends, and support data-driven decision-making.
Nurse Technician
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Kingsport
Kingsport, Tennessee
05.2020 - 01.2021
- Monitored, tracked, and reported important patient information to physicians, nurses, therapy, and case management to help optimize treatment planning and service delivery.
- Performed hourly patient rounding and safety checks to ensure compliance with hospital safety protocols, including fall risk prevention, infection control, and safe patient handling.
- Participated in daily interdisciplinary huddles to address high-risk patients and medical concerns, contributing to risk management and ongoing quality improvement in patient care.
- Completed STOP (Stop, Think, Organize, Position) training to enhance patient care safety and optimize employee performance, supporting continuous quality improvement.
Education
Master of Public Health - Health Administration
East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, Tennessee05.2021
Bachelor of Science - Community Health Promotion
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois05.2019
Skills
- Utilization review
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
- Resource management
- Critical thinking
- Performance tracking
- Quality assurance
- Compliance monitoring
- Stakeholder collaboration
Timeline
Case Manager
Quillen Rehab
08.2022 - Current
School-based Case Manager
Frontier Health
09.2021 - 07.2022
Case Manager PRN
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Bristol
04.2021 - Current
Administrative Intern
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Bristol
01.2021 - 05.2021
Nurse Technician
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Kingsport
05.2020 - 01.2021
Graduate Assistant
East Tennessee State University
08.2019 - 05.2021
Master of Public Health - Health Administration
East Tennessee State University
Bachelor of Science - Community Health Promotion
Illinois State University
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