Care Advocate

Care Advocate

Explore opportunities with Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, part of the Optum family of businesses. Work with one of the nation's leading health care organizations and build your career at one of our 40+ locations throughout Houston. Be part of a team that is nationally recognized for delivering coordinated and accountable care. As a multi-specialty clinic, we offer care from more than 900 medical providers in 65 medical specialties. Take on a rewarding opportunity to help drive higher quality, higher patient satisfaction and lower total costs. Join us and discover the meaning behind Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Position in this function is under the supervision of the RN Manager, the Care Advocate is primarily responsible for acting as a liaison between high-risk patients and the medical care team/provider. The Care Advocate will work with patients for a pre-defined period. During this time, the Care Advocate will complete telephonic assessments and document/communicate findings back the medical care team. The Care Advocate will assist patients with scheduling appointments/preventative screenings, help with finding applicable community resources, and will coordinate with vendors as necessary.

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:

• High School diploma or GED and Graduate from an accredited Medical Assistant program or school
• 3+ years of experience at a health care insurance company or medical clinic
• EMR use experience
• Proficient with computer applications that include, but are not limited to: Microsoft Word and Excel
• Proven ability to communicate and collaborate with colleagues, physicians, nurses, health plan staff, and other healthcare personnel
• Proven ability to communicate verbally and in writing with physicians regarding patient needs
• Proven good Alpha/Numeric data entry skills with minimal errors
• Demonstrates solid multitasking, problem solving & analytical skills
• Proven detail oriented with good verbal and written communication skills, interpersonal skills, and ability to work effectively in a fast-paced work environment
• Proven ability to communicate with all levels of Management
• Proven excellent organizational skills
• Proven ability to prioritize and work independently

Preferred Qualifications:

• Medical Assistant Certification
• Certified or Registered Medical Assistant
• 2+ years of experience with customer service/outbound calls
• Experience working with home health or DME
• Proficient with EPIC EMR
• Medical Background: Health Coach, Community Health Worker, etc

Essential Duties:

• Member Outreach:
  • Responsible for post-discharge screenings via telephonic outreach (to include but not limited to): Social Needs, Medication Adherence, ADL, Depression, and Condition Specific Screenings
  • Educates patients on open care gaps, needed appointments, community resources, and discharge instructions
  • Researches appropriate community resources for those with social determinant of health gaps
  • Helps enroll patients in outreach programs and helps schedule necessary labs, appointments, and testing
  • Utilizes a 'warm transfer' method when transferring a patient to another department
• Prioritizing Worklists and Timeliness:
  • Will run daily reports in EPIC and prioritizes outreach tasks.
  • Monitors patient list and pending tasks/outreaches
  • Uses time wisely and minimizes wasteful actions.
• Documentation/Communication:
  • Documents outreach and intervention accurately in the medical record
  • Corresponds with PCP/specialist and medical director as needed via email, staff messages, and EPIC secure chat
  • Responds in a timely manner to email and staff messages.
  • Coordinates with vendors (ex: Home Health and DME) when home services and DME devices have not arrived on time
  • Escalates clinical concerns to medical leadership.
• Department Development:
  • Will communicate patient/program needs back to leadership
  • Contributes and participates in departmental process improvement plans
• Regulatory:
  • Adheres to Kelsey Seybold Clinic and departmental policies and guidelines
  • Demonstrates Kelsey Seybold Clinic Values and Mission.
  • Seeks guidance and clarification if unsure how to proceed
• Other related duties as assigned

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). The hourly pay for this role will range from $16.00 to $29.00 per hour based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

OptumCare is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

OptumCare is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.