Street Medicine Program Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Position Purpose:   The Street Medicine Team is committed to promoting the health and well-being of individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness through street medicine. This approach involves bringing high-quality healthcare directly to people in their lived environments. The Street Medicine program provides comprehensive primary care and HIV services to the unsheltered homeless population. Care is delivered wherever patients reside, including under bridges and on the streets of Los Angeles County, with a primary focus on the Downtown Los Angeles Skid Row area. There is no fixed-site clinic; instead, clinical care is delivered by walking through homeless encampments, on the streets, or aboard the medical mobile unit.

The Street Medicine Program Manager is responsible for planning, coordinating, directing, and monitoring all operational and financial aspects of the program. This role provides effective leadership to the street team staff and oversees the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective patient care.

This position involves working with underserved patients experiencing homelessness and is crucial for utilizing Wesley Health Center resources to connect this population with primary care, behavioral health, dental services, substance abuse programs, and HIV services. Additionally, the Program Manager collaborates closely with the program physician (clinician) to direct and support personnel in fulfilling their responsibilities effectively.

Principal Responsibilities:

1. Provides overall direction and guidance to all street medicine staff. Directly supervises assigned staff. 
2. Recruits, screens, hires, orients, and trains staff. Evaluates employee performance and provides guidance and feedback to assigned staff. Counsels, disciplines, and/or terminates employees as required.
3. Stays informed of changes in policy or programs impacting street medicine and advises on adjustments to benefit people experiencing homelessness.
4. Establishes, implements, and ensures adherence to operational policies, objectives, goals, reporting tools, and major plans for the department. 
5. Investigates and resolves incidents, complaints, or suggestions from physicians, patients, visitors, and staff. Corrects deficiencies, if any, and prepares documentation or explanations as needed. 
6. Must be well-trained and knowledgeable in Next-Gen EHR and PM, including processing patients for their appointments (insurance verification) and checking patients out after being seen by the provider.
7. Responsible for maintaining situational awareness and ensuring scene safety at all times. Develops and implements security-related procedures, such as street team opening and closing routines, recognition of duress signals, and key controls. 
8. Coordinates security activities with the JWCH Security Office Manager. Promotes and maintains standards for security-conscious awareness and behavior. 
9. Attends regional meetings held monthly and quarterly with health plans and providers to foster ongoing communication and collaboration locally.
10. Attends the monthly Clinicians Learning Circle and Street Medicine collaboration meetings or forums.
11. Maintains open communication with health plans and providers, addressing unresolved issues impacting street medicine practice. 
12. Develops management objectives and policies for street medicine and business development. Interprets objectives, policies, and procedures for all staff.
13. Demonstrates the ability to establish constructive working relationships with departmental staff by performing duties cooperatively and helpfully.
14. Ensures the team is safely transported to and from scheduled sites in the team shuttle and medical mobile unit and maintains all aspects of these vehicles.
15. Ensures staff provide ongoing follow-up with patients, including:
    • Basic motivational interviewing and goal-setting with patients/families.
    • Phone calls and visits to other settings where patients can be found.
    • Helping patients attend appointments.
    • Providing referrals to community agencies as appropriate.
    • Helping patients connect with transportation resources and offering appointment reminders in special circumstances. Transporting patients is strictly prohibited.
16. Ensures staff assist patients in thoroughly completing applications and registration forms.
17. Ensures the enrollment specialist conducts eligibility determination, enrollment, and follow-up with uninsured patients.
18. Works closely with the medical provider to ensure patients receive comprehensive, coordinated care, including scheduling street medicine visits per the provider’s care plan. 
19. Ensures the team acts as patient advocates and liaisons between the patient and community service agencies (e.g., Department of Health & Human Services, Health Care for the Homeless, hospitals, support groups).
20. Ensures all staff record patient care management information in the EMR and other software (e.g., Formsite) no later than 24 hours after patient contact..
21. Produces a monthly calendar that includes homeless shelters, encampment locations, community fairs, and other relevant events.
22. Submits program productivity reports to the Director of Community Outreach & Collaboratives (DCOC), COO, CEO, and CMO monthly, no later than the 5th of each month.
23. Coordinates the street team schedule and patient scheduling. 
24. Monitors patient flow and ensures weekly goals are met, including primary care visits, HIV testing, SUD and BH ECM services, health plan enrollment, and housing referrals.
25. Collaborates with the DCOC to enhance provider efficiency and resolve street medicine/clinic-related issues as necessary.
26. Maintains a professional appearance while on the medical mobile unit and during street team operations.
27. Reports operational issues, opportunities, and updates to the direct supervisor and DCOC on a monthly or as-needed basis.
28. Ensures Next-Gen encounter billing reports are produced, shared with the team, and completed by the end of each day.
29. Adhere to all organizational safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements to ensure a safe environment for patients, staff, and visitors.
30. Participate in required safety and compliance trainings and apply learned practices in daily work activities.
31. Identify, report, and help mitigate unsafe conditions, incidents, or hazards in the workplace.
32. Use equipment, tools, and supplies safely and responsibly in accordance with organizational and regulatory standards.
33. Maintain awareness of infection control, occupational health, and emergency preparedness procedures appropriate to the role.
34. Participate in JWCH’s customer service training called AIDET on an annual basis.
    • Demonstrate an understanding of AIDET (Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, and Thank You) to apply in patient encounters or team discussions.
    • Utilize the AIDET communication framework to communicate with patients and team members in a manner that reduces patient anxiety, increases patient compliance, and improves clinical outcomes.
35. Performs other duties as assigned. 

Requirements:

1. Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration or related field, or bachelor’s degree with three or more years of health care management experience. Education may be substituted by experience.
2. Knowledge of Federal, State and local funding designated for health services.
3. Experience working with clients or patients and staff from diverse socio-economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
4. Ability to communicate effectively.
5. Bilingual/Bi-cultural (Spanish/English) preferred.

*All JWCH, Wesley Health Centers workforce are recommended to be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19. 

Employee Benefits:

At JWCH Institute, Inc., we believe in taking care of those who take care of others. If you work 30+ hours per week, you’ll enjoy competitive pay and a robust benefits package that includes:

• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Monthly employer-sponsored allowance for assistance with health premiums.
• Funded Health Savings Account (up to deductible) to assist with carrier-approved medical expenses.
• Paid time off (vacation, sick leave) and 13 paid holidays.
• 401(k) Safe Harbor Profit Sharing plan.
• Mileage reimbursement.
• Short- and long-term disability plans (LTD/STD).
• Life insurance policy & AD&D, and more!

Become part of a team where your work matters. Apply today and help us change lives, one patient at a time.

JWCH Institute, Inc + Wesley Health Centers  is an Equal Opportunity and Fair Chance Employer .