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POSITION SUMMARY: 

Serves as a liaison between patients/visitors, the healthcare team and the organization. Collaborates throughout the organization to help build a culture committed to our vision of improving the patient experience and patient-centered care. This position assists in guiding patients through the healthcare system from screening through diagnosis by assisting with access issues, developing relationships with service providers and tracking interventions and outcomes. Promotes a positive work environment which emphasizes respect to our customers, patients, patients’ families, physicians, staff and other departments.

Functions as a liaison with other UMass Memorial Health Care (UMMHC) departments to ensure integration with institutional and department goals and objectives.

The Patient Advocate/Navigator acts as a twenty-four-hour ambassador and care coordinator in relations with all patients, with a focus on coordination of care.  Will assist the members of the clinical and operational teams to anticipate, support and meet the needs of our patients in a patient centered and supportive environment. The Patient Advocate/Navigator works in close alignment with practitioners and staff to evaluate and oversee patients experience and outcomes and assists with coordinating and scheduling appointments throughout the continuum of care. Works with patients and caregivers to ensure optimal outcomes.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Maintains a close working relationship with clinical care teams across the organization to facilitate the entry of patients into the care of the team and coordinates their care including family/caregiver involvement. Follows the patients throughout the continuum of health care services across multiple departments from assessment through discharge.
• Cultivates a productive relationship with physicians, clinical and support staff and outside physicians to accommodate special or urgent patient request to grow overall department via concierge-like patient services.
• The Patient Advocate/Navigator is an integral part of a multidisciplinary team that supports patients and families in addressing the following dimensions of care to include, but not limited to, education, psychosocial needs, advocacy and continuity of care.
• Proactively rounds on patients/visitors to ensure a successful patient experience. Liaison with patients/visitors to ensure care is consistent with expectations and facilitates resolution of inconsistencies. Serves as an advocate for patients and families regarding their needs and concerns related to the treatment plan and a liaison between the patient and the providers.
• The Patient Advocate/Navigator helps guide our patients through their many appointments and exams, answers questions they may have, and serves as a resource throughout their care. Serves as the “concierge” for patient as they wait to see a provider; provides general assistance to patients in the waiting area (completing paperwork, Portal registration, support groups) and serves as the liaison between the clinical staff and patients.
• Receives routine progress updates of patients along the continuum and is responsible for ensuring the healthcare team is updated as appropriate, escalates clinical concerns and/or patient concerns to the healthcare professional as needed.
• Delivers on our promise to provide a high quality and supportive environment welcome to all patients, visitors and families. This position is responsible for greeting and responding to the needs of our patients, volunteers and families by providing information and assistance in a timely manner.  Promotes a positive image for the UMass Memorial Health Care System.
• Reviews EPIC reports, lists and work queues, as requested or warranted, to ensure all appointments are scheduled and arrived, follow-up visits coordinated, and any emergency department or subsequent readmissions are noted. Ensures patients needing to be seen urgently are scheduled in clinic with the healthcare professional.
• Serves as an innovator, relationship builder, continually nurturing and expanding patient service line. Performs extra, inter- and intra- department/agency liaison work with other service providers, as needed.
• Participates in performance improvement initiatives and demonstrates the use of quality improvement in daily operations.
• Responsible for investigating, resolving, documenting, communicating and reporting patient/visitor compliments and concerns, and ensuring regulatory compliance. This includes collaborating with clinicians and drafting letters to patients and insurance carriers.
• Arranges, mediates and facilitates meetings between patients and/or staff to foster satisfactory resolution. Ensures suggestions and compliments from patients/visitors are submitted to the appropriate areas. Provides consultation to staff, as requested, to help address specific situation
• Must apply an extensive knowledge of clinical processes/systems and of the potential impact on patient care coordination.
• Uses data to identify themes and trends; provides leadership with information on areas of opportunity throughout the organization and suggested improvements in care coordination.
• Perform other duties as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in healthcare, business administration, or related field or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of 5 years related healthcare experience.
• Previous experience in an academic hospital/healthcare setting.
• High level of enthusiasm about patient centered health care and the patient experience.
• Excellent customer service skills and strategic business and healthcare awareness.
• Excellent writing skills to be used in documenting accurate case reports and in writing to patients on behalf of the institution.
• Excellent communication, mediation and facilitation skills.
• Ability to analyze complex problems and develop recommendations and solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to handle appropriately: sensitive, confidential information.
• Skillful in interacting with all levels of the institution, showing good judgment in coordinating patient care and mediating patient complaints.
• Flexibility to work evenings, nights, weekends and on call.
• Prior use of software applications, specifically EPIC EMR preferred, along with other software applications such as excel and word.