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Sutter Health
Berkeley, California

Utilization Review Specialist, Behavioral Health Per Diem

Healthcare AdminIncludes weekendsNo nightsPer Diem

Listed compensation

$47.67-$71.51/hr

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, benefits and time off.

Posted 6mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

We are so glad you are interested in joining Sutter Health! Organization: ABSMC-Alta Bates Herrick Campus Position Overview: Accumulates, interprets, and documents timely information to justify acute hospital admission, need for continued stay, and proper utilization of physician, nursing, and ancillary services.

Responsible for concurrent review on specific patients. Develops, coordinates and monitors systems for the appeal/denial process, tracks and trends data, and coordinates utilization management activities for the assigned area.

Collaborates with hospital administration, medical staff, patient registration and representatives of review organizations and others to ensure effective utilization of services and appropriate service reimbursement.

Monitors and acts as a liaison between external payers, internal business office, admissions staff, and clerical unit staff to assure that quality care is delivered at the appropriate level of service and that documentation of care meets appropriate standards.

Interfaces with hospital administration and unit medical doctors and provides data related to the current management of resources. Adheres to all local/state/federal regulations, codes, policies and procedures to ensure privacy and safety while delivering optimal patient care.

Job Description: DEPARTMENT REQUIRED EDUCATION Department, Behavioral Health: Master’s in Social Work or related field SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE: Working knowledge of medical terminology, including general knowledge of illnesses, current treatments and their physical and psychosocial sequelae.

Knowledge of alternate levels of care including criteria required for payment and applications processes. Ability to interpret a variety of data and instructions, furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Possess written and verbal communications skills to communicate with fellow team members, supervisors, patients, and other hospital personnel.

Well-developed time management and organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize assignments and work within standardized policies and procedures to achieve objectives and meet deadlines.

Demonstrated knowledge of computer applications, such as Crystal Report writing, Midas Plus, Excel, Sunrise, MS Word, PCIS, and InterQual. Work independently, as well as be part of the team, including accomplishing multiple tasks in an environment with interruptions.

Identify, evaluate and resolve standard problems by selecting appropriate solutions from established options. Ensure the privacy of each patient’s protected health information (PHI). Build collaborates relationships with peers and other staff members to achieve departmental and corporate objectives.

Job Shift: Days Schedule: Per Diem/Casual Shift Hours: 8 Days of the Week: Monday - Friday Weekend Requirements: None Benefits: No Unions: No Position Status: Non-Exempt Weekly Hours: 0 Employee Status: Per Diem/Casual Sutter Health is an equal opportunity employer EOE/M/F/Disability/Veterans.

Pay Range is $47.67 to $71.51 / hour The compensation range may vary based on the geographic location where the position is filled.

Total compensation considers multiple factors, including, but not limited to a candidate’s experience, education, skills, licensure, certifications, departmental equity, training, and organizational needs. Base pay is only one component of Sutter Health’s comprehensive total rewards program.

Eligible positions also include a comprehensive benefits package. Working at Sutter Health Sutter Health values and supports the unique talents and strengths that each employee brings to our organization.

As a result, you are empowered to apply your passion for healing in innovative ways to care for patients and their families.

Key Responsibilities

The specialist accumulates, interprets, and documents information to justify hospital admission, continued stay, and proper utilization of services, while also developing and monitoring systems for the appeal/denial process. This role involves collaborating with administration, medical staff, and external payers to ensure quality care delivery at the appropriate service level and appropriate reimbursement.

Requirements

A Master’s in Social Work or a related field is required for this position in the Behavioral Health department. Candidates must possess working knowledge of medical terminology, criteria for alternate levels of care, and demonstrated computer application skills including Crystal Report writing, Midas Plus, and InterQual.

Key Skills

Utilization ReviewData InterpretationVerbal CommunicationWritten Communication

Healthcare Administration Career Context

Of the 40 active Healthcare Administration listings this role was benchmarked against, 8% are remote, 28% have no call, 78% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Sutter Health ranks #2 of 12 employers hiring Healthcare Admin on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.

Healthcare Administration pay on WeekdayDoc is down 2.7% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Utilization Review Specialist, Behavioral Health Per Diem at Sutter Health a 6.4 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 25% in Healthcare Administration — ranked against 1,230 active Healthcare Administration listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no night shifts.

Top Healthcare Admin Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution35 jobs · 31 employers

10
<$55k
8
$55k-65k
4
$65k-75k
7
$75k-85k
6
$85k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks28 jobs

401k / retirement match
96%
Sign-on bonus
14%
Loan repayment
11%
CME allowance
11%
PSLF eligible
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Case Manager / PRN ( RN / RT / SW / LPN )Per Diem

Select Specialty Hospital - Orlando Central · Orlando, Florida

$38/hr
#2

Behavioral Health Services Case Manager (Part-Time)

JES Tech · Richland, Washington

$30-$35/hr
#3

Behavioral Health Specialist

$26-$31/hr
#4

Patient Services Specialist / General Internal Medicine- Roosevelt

$21.82-$29.41/hr
+ 38 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.9this job 6.4
Better work-life than 80% of Healthcare Administration listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,230 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
  • Includes weekends

Living in Berkeley

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.54M
Typical market rent
$2,818/mo
Residents’ average commute
28 min
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.