Kidney Care Specialist

Kidney Care Engagement Specialist

The Kidney Care Engagement Specialist creates a supportive, engaging virtual environment for individuals impacted by Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Under the direction of the Manager of Engagement Specialists, this role provides one-to-one support and facilitates small-group discussions to help participants understand kidney care pathways, available education and treatment options, and how to navigate next steps in their care journey. The specialist engages participants through inbound and outbound outreach, virtual group interactions, and ongoing follow-up. Working collaboratively with Kidney Care Specialist and referral partners, the specialist ensures seamless communication, care coordination, and participant follow-through across the kidney care continuum. By delivering empathetic communication, high-quality discussions, and consistent virtual engagement, this role enhances patient readiness, strengthens awareness of home therapy options, and contributes to an improved overall participant experience. The Kidney Care Engagement Specialist supports Fresenius Medical Care's mission, vision, and values by promoting informed decision-making and facilitating smoother transitions throughout the kidney care ecosystem.

Principal duties and responsibilities include:

• Initiate timely outreach to individuals referred through multiple sources, including website referrals, care teams, clinics, nephrology offices, and digital channels.
• Monitor and manage the website chat function, responding to inquiries with clear, accurate information and guidance.
• Conduct supportive phone conversations to answer questions, clarify kidney care concepts, and connect individuals to appropriate programs, classes, and resources.
• Listen to individual needs, concerns, and readiness indicators to provide personalized recommendations for education or next steps.
• Provide empathetic, actionable support for individuals who may be newly diagnosed, overwhelmed, or uncertain where to begin.
• Maintain consistent communication patterns to help reduce care barriers and crisis starts across the kidney disease continuum.
• Lead scheduled virtual small group sessions (4560 minutes) using approved content and discussion frameworks.
• Create an inclusive, safe environment that encourages participant interaction, questions, and shared experiences.
• Support discussion on kidney disease progression, dialysis modalities, home therapies, permanent access placement, and available support resources.
• Facilitate conversations about Chronic Kidney Disease, Dialysis Treatment Options and Resources to support an individual's Kidney Disease Journey.
• Apply motivational interviewing and patient-centered communication strategies to support participant understanding.
• Create an engaging, supportive virtual environment that encourages patient participation and understanding.
• Reinforce session concepts and guide participants toward next steps, including additional session enrollment, resource needs, post class review, and connecting with a Kidney Care Specialist for follow up.
• Re-engage participants who miss sessions with reenrollment options and follow-up materials.
• Support referral generation and conversion by reinforcing education, identifying patient readiness, and guiding next steps in collaboration with Kidney Care Specialist, care teams, and other referral sources.
• Document participant attendance, engagement details, and relevant next steps in CRM with accuracy and timeliness.
• Provide hand-offs to Kidney Care Specialist to ensure seamless hand-offs, alignment on patient status, and closure of care gaps.
• Notify referral sources of session attendance, if applicable.
• Document all interactions following organizational standards, privacy requirements, and compliance policies.
• Ensure all facilitation aligns with approved content and role scope.
• Maintain confidentiality and adhere to regulatory and organizational guidelines.
• Participate in team meetings, training, and competency development supporting the broader Kidney Care Advocate Organization initiatives.
• Communicate patient participation, engagement outcomes, and next steps to appropriate stakeholders, including referral sources when applicable.
• Partner with Engagement Specialists and Leadership to identify opportunities to improve workflows, referral efficiency, and patient experience.

Physical demands and working conditions:

• Fully remote; requires reliable internet and ability to work across varied virtual class times (Monday-Saturday).
• The position requires frequent prolonged periods of working at a computer.
• Assignment may include early morning, evening, or weekend session rotation based on program scheduling needs.
• Requires proficiency with virtual meeting platforms, documentation systems, and Microsoft 365 tools.
• May require travel to regional, business unit, and corporate meetings.

Supervision:

• No direct supervisory responsibilities.
• Works under the guidance of Kidney Care leadership and in close collaboration with clinical and operational teams.

Education and required credentials:

• High School diploma or G.E.D. required; 2-5 years clinical background preferred.
• 2-5 years' experience in group facilitation, coaching, counseling, patient support, education, or related fields.
• Prior experience working with individuals managing chronic conditions is preferred.
• College degree preferred.

Experience and skills:

• Strong virtual facilitation and communication skills, with the ability to build rapport quickly in a remote environment.
• Comfortable guiding diverse groups through structured conversation and discussion-based learning.
• High level of emotional intelligence and demonstrated ability to relate to persons of all ages and diverse backgrounds, skills, knowledge levels, and abilities.
• Familiarity with kidney disease, dialysis modalities, and care pathways (training provided).
• Experience supporting referrals through excellent organization, follow-up workflows, or care coordination preferred.
• Effective collaborator with clinical and nonclinical partners across multiple regions and time zones.
• Ability to work autonomously but collaboratively on a team.
• Proficiency with virtual meeting platforms, CRM systems, and Microsoft 365 tools.

EO/AA EMPLOYER:

Fresenius Medical Care North America is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity. Fresenius Medical Care North America maintains a drug-free workplace in accordance with applicable federal and state laws.