Patient Navigator - Nephrology

Care Navigator

This role focuses on performing activities associated with evaluating, developing, recommending, implementing, and carrying out the policies and procedures related to the delivery of high quality patient care. In addition, this role focuses on performing the following Care Navigation related duties include: Focuses on the patient's needs and helps guide the patient through the healthcare system and works to overcome obstacles that are in the way of the patient receiving the care and treatment they require. An organizational related support or service (administrative or clerical) role or a role that focuses on support of daily business activities (e.g., technical, clinical, non-clinical) operating in a "hands on" environment. The majority of time is spent in the delivery of support services or activities, typically under supervision. An experienced level role that requires basic knowledge of job procedures and tools obtained through work experience and may require vocational or technical education. Works under moderate supervision, problems are typically of a routine nature, but may at times require interpretation or deviation from standard procedures, and communicates information that requires some explanation or interpretation.

This position supports and facilitate transitions across the care continuum through telephonic patient outreach, coordination of care, referrals to providers and agencies. Acts as a liaison between providers and clinical resources to ensure the patient is actively involved in decision making for all aspects of care including post discharge follow up and goals toward preventing avoidable readmissions. Supports support multiple areas of the Clinical Care and Operations Team by creating and distributing multiple patient activity reports and other patient-based reports including databases for referrals, plan based level of care authorizations, and out of network activity including emergency and inpatient encounters.

Minimum Qualifications :

• High school diploma or GED.
• Two (2) years of experience in a clinical setting (nursing unit, care management, physician's office)

Preferred Qualifications :

• College Degree.
• Medical Assistant (MA) certification.
• Three (3) years of related experience.

Duties and Responsibilities : The duties and responsibilities listed below are intended to describe the general nature of work and are not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned.

• Creates and distributes daily patient activity reports to provider offices. Includes but may not be limited to Emergency Department, Urgent Care encounters and daily hospital discharges.
• Reviews, authorizes, and assigns referral request submitted for review.
• Provides hospital admission report review and production of review sheets for level of care review.
• Tracks, documents, and plans level of care determinations.
• Identifies authorization/denial/pending, level of care assigned and number of days to be paid.
• Reviews and distributes walk around reports to provider offices.
• Schedules and/or adhoc research and documentation as deemed appropriate by Clinical Operations and Programs Sr. Manager. Includes but not limited to National Plans, Leakage, Trauma, Out of Area, High cost cases.
• Communicates to clinic offices, office managers via email and presentations at meetings included but not limited to the practice type based and large Primary Care Physicians and Specialty Care Physician meetings as needed.
• Runs daily admission and discharge lists for resource team and skilled nursing facility nurse practitioner and prepares team list for appropriate follow-up for the day. Coordinates with hospital staff including continuity of care department on shared patients.
• Monitors emergency department utilization at set intervals throughout the day and communicates information to assigned clinical staff for real-time intervention.
• Conducts telephonic patient outreach for patients discharged from the inpatient setting, emergency department and skilled nursing facility to ensure transitions of care including follow-up appointments, prescriptions are filled, homecare services are set-up and to encourage early symptom management with PCP and Urgent Care with a goal of preventing a readmission.
• Develops trusting, professional, caring relationships with patients and families, engaging respectfully and with utmost attention to service.
• Collaborates with other members of the Resource Team, enrolls patients and maintains registries and spreadsheets to support these programs.
• Schedules appointments for patients and makes referrals as needed for transportation, etc. as needed to ensure services are in place as specified in the patient care plan.
• Maintains collaborative, team relationships with peers and colleagues in order to effectively contribute to the team's achievement of goals, and to help foster a positive work environment including working collaboratively with PHO staff, outpatient providers and all affiliated organizations.

Physical Requirements:

• Frequent sitting, occasional standing & walking, and lifting of 5-10 lbs.
• Requires manual dexterity using fine hand manipulations.
• Requires ability to see computer screen and reports.
• Workstation space is limited; narrow aisles.
• Noise level can be high at times - multiple conversations at one time.
• High stress factor with department activity.

Skills & Abilities:

• Customer focused interpersonal skills to interact in an effective manner with practitioners, the interdisciplinary health care team, community agencies, patients, and families with diverse opinions, values, and religious and cultural ideals.
• Ability to work autonomously in established situations and be accountable to the goals of the department.
• Ability to influence and negotiate with individuals.
• Ability to function effectively in a fluid, dynamic, and rapidly changing environment.
• Familiarity with the target community and feels connected to that community.
• Ability to work well with people of various ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, and life experiences.
• Ability to prioritize and resolve critical issues efficiently and effectively.
• Detail oriented, with strong organizational skills and multi-tasking abilities.
• Experience with Electronic Medical Records and possess a willingness and ability to learn and utilize new technology and procedures that will continue to develop in their role and throughout the organization.
• General computer knowledge and ability to use computers required. Very strong working knowledge and proficiency with technology and business software (Microsoft Office, Word, Excel).

At Tufts Medicine, we want every individual to feel valued for the skills and experience they bring. Our compensation philosophy is designed to offer fair, competitive pay that attracts, retains, and motivates highly talented individuals, while rewarding the important work you do every day.

The base pay ranges reflect the minimum qualifications for the role. Individual offers are determined using a comprehensive approach that considers relevant experience, certifications, education, skills, and internal equity to ensure compensation is fair, consistent, and aligned with our business goals.

Beyond base pay, Tufts Medicine provides a comprehensive Total Rewards package that supports your health, financial security, and career growthone of the many ways we invest in you so you can thrive both at work and outside of it.

Pay Range :

$24.65 - $30.82