Health Services Navigator - SUD-MH/SDoH

Equal Opportunity Employer

The mission of the Health Federation of Philadelphia is to promote community health by advancing access to high-quality, integrated, comprehensive health and human services. We believe in and are firmly committed to equal employment opportunity for employees and applicants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, religion, disability, sex or gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, military or veteran status.  This commitment applies to all aspects of the Health Federation of Philadelphia’s employment practices, including recruiting, hiring, training, and promotion.

JOB SUMMARY

The Health Services Navigator – Special Projects will provide practical, educational, and emotional assistance to Health Center patients. Primary functions of the Health Services Navigator – Special Projects include eliminating barriers to timely diagnosis/treatment and effectively integrating a fragmented healthcare system for patients. An employee in this position is responsible for coordinating the care plan for patients, acting as a liaison between various medical and behavioral health providers, advocating for patient concerns, and solving problems.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

            Responsibilities/Duties (General)

  • Attend patient huddles.
  • Patients with hospitalizations and ER visits – assist in obtaining discharge summaries and track the outcome of activities.
  • Patients referred for specialty care/diagnostic exams – if needed, assist patients with obtaining referrals and making appointments; track appointments to closure; track the receipt of consult reports and contact specialists to obtain outstanding reports; follow-up with patients as indicated (e.g., to determine whether patient went for follow-up, to inquire about other information requested by provider, etc.).
  • Patients with missed appointments/lost to care (overdue for an office visit or service) –complete outreach activities (call or send reminder letter) to reengage the patient and track the outcome of activities. 
  • General assistance to patients – assist patients in locating services or understanding who to contact; refer to appropriate resources (Social Workers, Interpreters, Registered Dietitians, Pharmacy, PAP staff, BHCs, etc.).
  • Orient new patients to the health center; ensure patients receive HC brochure and/or patient rights brochure; advise patients on how to contact the HC after hours, how to make appointments, and the need to keep all appointments or cancel within 24 hours.
  • Other duties as assigned (e.g., back-up to other HSN, etc.).

Responsibilities/Duties (Special Projects) – SUD-MH

  • Patients needing SUD-MH screenings – utilize i2i to track patients and place patients on BHC schedule and communicate with team members to facilitate access to BHC, SW, and PCG appointments.
  • Outpatient mental health referrals – assist patients with scheduling outpatient intake appointments and track the outcome of activities.
  • Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) – provide care coordination services to patients as needed.
  • Other special projects as assigned.

Responsibilities/Duties (Special Projects) – SDoH

  • Assess patients for Social Determinants of Health (SDoH)

    • Patients utilizing AHS psychiatry
    • Patients with hospitalizations and ER visits
    • Patients referred for behavioral health services
    • Patients utilizing substance use disorder services
    • At-risk patients
    • Patients referred by providers
  • Other special projects as assigned.

Education

  • Minimum Education: High School Diploma or equivalent; some college or bachelor’s degree preferred.
  • Candidates with Medical Assistant, nursing, or navigator training encouraged to apply.

Skills/Experience

Minimum Experience:

  • Experience in providing direct services to a diverse population in a human service, health care, or community organization. Knowledge of/trained in health promotion, community health resources, and assisting the economically disadvantaged and the uninsured.

Preferred experience:

  • This job requires empathy, compassion, and an understanding of the cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds of the AHS patient population. 
  • Excellent customer skills are mandatory for this position.
  • Must be able to effectively approach and interact with patients, including engaging patients in appropriate services.
  • Must have knowledge of client management procedures for determining eligibility, assessing needs, identifying resources, making referrals, following up, and documenting client interactions and proactively supporting client’s pursuit of goals.
  • Ability to track patients assisted and services provided, using activity log. 
  • The position requires skills in developing professional relationships with various AHS staff and community organizations to easily link patients to services.
  • Knowledge of basic computer usage, including familiarity with the Microsoft Suite.
  • Ability to use/easily learn technology.
  • Ability to effectively interview and engage patients in appropriate services.
  • Timely response to patients, staff, and outside inquiries; frequent daily monitoring of voice mail, e-mail, and correspondence.
  • Timely preparation of activity logs, and submission of monthly statistics.
  • Evening and/or Saturday morning coverage may be assigned.
  • Bilingual preferred

Work Environment:  Standard office setting with extended periods at workstation and periodic use of office equipment.

Position Type and Work Schedule:  Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm with a 30-minute lunch, or as directed by supervisor.

Travel:  Work is primarily conducted on-site at the assigned Health Center.

Physical Demands:  Must have the ability to work in a fast-paced, patient care environment; travel between city locations.  

Salary and Benefits:  Our employees are our most valuable resource, so we offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package, which can include:

  • Medical with vision benefits
  • Dental insurance
  • Flexible spending accounts
  • Life, AD&D and long-term care insurance
  • Short- and long-term disability insurance
  • 403(b) Retirement Plan, with a company contribution
  • Paid time off including vacation, sick, personal and holiday
  • Employee Assistance Program

Eligibility and participation is handled consistent with the plan documents and HFP policy. 

DISCLAIMER

The Health Federation reserves the right to modify, interpret, or apply this job description in any way the Company desires. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by an employee assigned to this position. This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties, including essential duties, responsibilities and/or skills to be performed by the employee occupying this position. This job description is not an employment contract, implied, or otherwise. The employment relationship remains “at will.” The aforementioned job requirements are subject to change to reasonably accommodate qualified disabled individuals.