Patient Healthcare Navigator - August 2023

The NHC member will focus on tracking and acting as a patient navigator for patients who are identified as being part of a high-risk group: (1) patients with chronic medical conditions related to obesity (diabetes, hypertension and coronary artery disease), and (2) patients currently under addiction treatment or history of addiction and (3) patients in need of preventive health screenings. NHC will assist identified patients by: 

• ·Assisting patients to make and keep appointments for preventive health screenings, referrals and appointments with PCP 
• Enhancing communication with primary care physician and Integrated behavioral health team
• Facilitating communication with primary care physician and medication assisted treatment (MAT) team 
• ·Phone outreach to patients and community agencies

Addressing preventive care through population health reports:

• ·Review quarterly reports, organize and update information 
• ·Outreach to patients to schedule appointments for preventive care 
• ·Providing education about preventive health care services 
• ·Making referrals for basic needs such as food and other support services 
• ·Assisting patients in navigating the healthcare system: e.g. making and keeping appointments, scheduling needed tests, and following up with specialists 
• ·Communication with PCPs regarding outstanding care needed and obtaining necessary orders for preventive care tests

Patient navigation requires the following skills and activities as well: 

• ·Outreach and partnering with community agencies to provide support resources for patients 
• ·Education of patients so they understand their medical conditions and why further testing and follow up is needed 
• ·Problem solving skills- being able to identify barriers to care, both emotional and socioeconomic 
• ·Providing emotional support to patients

• Tracking, enrolling, and surveying patients for improvement
• Assisting in care coordination and resource referrals
• Tracking referrals and closing the referral loop
• Conducting outreach to patients via phone/letters
• Linking patients to care by scheduling appointments

• Self-starter
• Organized
• Able to review and synthesize information
• Community engagement/outreach skills
• Able to communicate effectively with individuals or diverse backgrounds and identities
• Our health center is very team-focused and oriented. The Americorps member needs to be able to interact well with all health center team members including front desk staff, nursing staff, and physicians. 

• Knowledge of AmeriCorps/Health Corps member requirements
• The member will receive various health metric reports in excel and word documents. We expect the member to be able to interpret the reports and also create New Kensington specific reports using Excel and/or Word documents. 

• The supervisor assigns service activities, advises on changes in procedures, and is available for assistance when required
• Dr. Frazier will discuss service activities with the Americorps member and update/change service activities based on the members interests. 

• The member independently plans and carries out the projects and selects the approaches and methods to be used in solving problems

• Guidelines are generally applicable, but the member independently makes adaptations in dealing with problems and unusual situations

• The facts or conditions of the service position are clear cut, predictable, and apply directly to the assignment

• The service position product or service affects the accuracy, reliability, or acceptability of further processes or services

• Public
• Community Organizations

• To give or exchange information

• Personal vehicle required. There is only 1 bus that runs through New Kensington, so it is the best interest of the member to have a personal vehicle. So, although a personal vehicle is not strictly required, unfortunately public transportation is not easy to arrive at our health center. 

In addition to NHC Standard Checks, all NHC Pittsburgh members are required to complete and pass criminal history checks for Great Lakes Behavioral Research Institute/Diversified Care Management (DCM). Great Lakes/DCM is a third party vendor contracted with the Allegheny County Health Department (operating site for NHC Pittsburgh) to distribute NHC Pittsburgh member stipends. NHC Pittsburgh members are onboarded to Great Lakes/DCM system only when the checks have been completed and the member has passed those checks. Along with these checks, ALL NHC Pittsburgh Members Are Required to be Vaccinated against COVID-19. 

The checks that all NHC Pittsburgh members would be required to complete and pass for Great Lakes/DCM are the following: 1) Act 33 (Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance), 2) National Sex Offender Registry Clearance,  3) Act 34 (Pennsylvania Criminal History Clearance, and 4) Act 73 (FBI Criminal History Clearance - ONLY completed via Identogo PA).

NHC members do not have to pay for the completion of these checks. Great Lakes/DCM will distribute payment codes for the Act 33 (Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance) and Act 73 (FBI Criminal History Clearance which is conducted through Identogo PA ( PA FBI fingerprinting agency). The National Sex Offender Registry Clearance and Act 34 (Pennsylvania Criminal History Clearance) will be completed by Great Lakes/DCM upon receiving requested information that members will be asked to submit.