Facility Practice Specialist (Behavioral Health) - Telecommute - 2026454

For those who want to invent the future of health care, here’s your opportunity. We’re going beyond basic care to health programs integrated across the entire continuum of care. Join us and help people live healthier lives while doing  your life’s best work.(sm)  

The  Facility Practice Specialist  must demonstrate strong clinical and analytic skills, strong oral and written communication skills and must be comfortable working closely with senior leaders at high volume facilities. They will be responsible for the development of relationships with facilities as well as other behavioral health entities. They will monitor their clinical effectiveness and efficiency, as well as compliance with contractual obligations. This Practice Specialist will work closely with Care Advocacy Operations, Affordability and Network Management teams to affect desired outcomes with facilities as it relates primarily to treatment for our public sector membership. 

The Practice Specialist will partner with groups/facilities that operate outside of typical practice or billing patterns which will be subject to a specific set of interventions. The Practice Specialist’s role with these facilities will be to coordinate a strategic effort that includes Clinical Operations, Network Services, Program and Network Integrity, and Affordability with the goal of designing and delivering interventions aimed at addressing outlier practice patterns, while improving provider performance, quality and clinical outcomes. These interventions may include, but are not limited to, clinical audits and the development of performance improvement plans.

Primary Responsibilities:

Interface with senior leaders (e.g., CEO) at high volume facilities

Communicate with facilities to initiate appropriate interventions focused on improvement of clinical outcomes and efficiency, improved quality of care, and appropriate billing and practice patterns

Support those high performing facilities such that performance remains at a high level

Identify outliers through analysis of clinical outcomes data, utilization / claims data

Conduct program audits and provide feedback results

Measure improvement of program performance over time

Modify interventions as appropriate

Initiate and monitor Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) as appropriate to affect performance

Interface with other Optum departments including Care Advocacy, Affordability, Clinical Network Services, Program and Network Integrity, Legal, and Quality Improvement

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

Licensed Master's Degree-Level Clinician in Psychology, Social Work, Counseling or Marriage or Family Counseling OR a Licensed Ph.D. level Psychologist, OR an RN with behavioral health experience

License must be active and unrestricted to practice at the independent level

3+ years of utilization management experience in a managed care setting

Direct provider/facility facing experience

Experience auditing medical records and reviewing results

Experience in interpreting and utilizing clinical data analytics in healthcare and use of that data to drive change

Strong communication skills, written and verbal, including ability to communicate effectively with and present to various levels of leadership

Strong analytical skills with knowledge of or willingness to use Microsoft Excel on a frequent basis

Dedicated space for home office set up and access to high speed internet services

Preferred Qualifications:

Direct clinical experience (Post Licensure)

Knowledge of facility-based levels of care

Ability to balance contractual and clinical considerations

Capacity to provide solutions for non – standard and/or complex issues solutions

Excellent time management and prioritization skills

Ability to establish and maintain strategic relationships with senior leadership teams

Candidates in the Central Time Zone are highly preferred

Careers with Optum . Here's the idea. We built an entire organization around one giant objective; make the health system work better for everyone. So when it comes to how we use the world's large accumulation of health-related information, or guide health and lifestyle choices or manage pharmacy benefits for millions, our first goal is to leap beyond the status quo and uncover new ways to serve. Optum, part of the UnitedHealth Group family of businesses, brings together some of the greatest minds and most advanced ideas on where health care has to go in order to reach its fullest potential. For you, that means working on high performance teams against sophisticated challenges that matter. Optum, incredible ideas in one incredible company and a singular opportunity to do  your life's best work.(sm)

Colorado Residents Only: The salary range for Colorado residents is $53,300 to $95,100. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, UnitedHealth Group offers benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with UnitedHealth Group, you’ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives.

*All Telecommuters will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group’s Telecommuter Policy