Department/Unit:
HBD - Aids Program
Work Shift:
Day (United States of America)
Salary Range:
$70,068.00 - $108,605.00
JOB DESCRIPTION
POSITION TITLE: HIV Counselor and Retention Specialist
DEPARTMENT/DIVISION: Medicine/ HIV Medicine
REPORTS TO: Supervisor of Case Management/ Manager of Client Services
Provides HIV counseling testing services onsite and in the community. Provides engagement, re-engagement, linkage, referral, and other services to new patients and patients who have fallen out of care (and patients at risk for falling out of care).
HIV Counselor Provides counseling and testing at approved community events, according to established procedure Participates in outreach/ publicity events, as needed and approved by supervisor Provides out-patient HIV pre- and post- test counseling for scheduled or walk-in clients according to established procedure Recognizes signs of HIV sero-conversion and notifies medical provider to assure best practice is followed Serves as liaison to community agencies regarding counseling and testing Maintains stock of charts, documents, educational materials, and related paperwork for clients being tested and related paperwork Facilitates provider completion of HIV reporting/Partner Notification forms and forwards appropriate copy to NYS DOH. Follow guidelines for clients with newly positive HIV tests (internal)
Assures confirmatory test
Arrange appointment with medical provider for client to receive confirmatory test
Follows up to assure confirmatory test is received prior to provider appointment
Links patients into HIV care within 30 days of confirmatory test
Coordinates with community and internal care team to facilitate access to HIV care
Collaborates with internal multidisciplinary team and staff from community agencies to link newly positive HIV patients to care at AMC DHIVM within 14-30 days of HIV confirmatory test Tracks information on patients with new diagnoses (those tested by DHIVM as well as those referred to HIV medicine) to monitor timeliness of linkage to care and retention in care as required by funders. Follows NYS HIV testing guidelines and AMC policy when conducting pre- and post-testing. Conveys information regarding the following:
Provides risk/harm reduction education and counseling relevant to the patient’s individual behavioral context (i.e. condom use, needle cleaning) Adapts counseling technique to suit the patient’s developmental level and personal circumstances. Responds to patient’s questions and concerns in a satisfactory manner. Assesses patient’s ability to cope with the HIV test results, and the availability of supportive resources in the patient’s immediate living environment. Assesses patient’s capacity to consent to HIV testing and obtains appropriate consent to perform testing.
Conveys HIV test results including discussion of the meaning of the results and addresses patient’s immediate concerns and questions. Meets the needs of patients with negative test results:
Attends to the needs of patients with positive test results:
Retention Specialist Patients with new HIV appointments
Complete Pre-Intake Screening on new patients to prepare patients for first HIV appointment, identify barriers to care, and facilitate referrals, if needed
Provide reminder calls to patients with new HIV appointments
Assist with new patient intakes, as directed by supervisor
Contact patient post-new visit to assess patient understanding of medical plan and identify potential barriers to care
Assure quarterly follow up with patient to assess for needs, barriers, and understanding of medical plan
Patients at risk for retention issues
Establish case load of patients without HIV medical appointments in previous 6 months and/or patients with consecutive no show visits
Thoroughly review medical records and collaborate with care team to identify other methods to reach patients, if contact information is not sufficient
Attempt to contact patient every 2-4 weeks to express concern, identify/address barriers, schedule appointment
Notify team of patient’s retention status to identify additional interventions
Enlist assistance from community agencies if authorizations for disclosure of information are active
Contact patient one week prior to appointment to remind of appointment and re-assess for conflicts/barriers. Encourage patients to consider future services from community (release required)
Meet patient at medical visit, if possible
Check in with patient following appointment (or following NS)
Provide reminder call/assessment for barriers one week prior to next medical visit
Continue to monitor until patient is successfully retained in care
Close pt once successfully retained in care or all avenues for contacting patient have been exhausted. Closures are to be reviewed and approved by the supervisor.
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Data Collection to Support Grant Requirements and Quality Activities Complete Ryan White Eligibility Forms on patients Enter all counseling/testing, retention, care coordination and other patient services to the AIRS data base, as directed by supervisor Enter intake information to the AIRS database as directed by supervisor Enroll patients to specified AIRS programs as directed by supervisor Close patients from AIRS programs as directed by supervisor and in accordance with policy Maintain spreadsheets as assigned
Documentation
Documents all client/patient encounters and care coordination activities in paper chart (counseling and testing) or electronic health record (retention).
Uses DIP (data, impression, plan) format to document encounters/care coordination activities.
Keeps note’s objective and concise.
Ensure impressions/opinions are supported by objective information.
Assure us each note includes information to support corresponding entry of services in AIRS.
Utilizes EHR tasking feature to communicate with care team.
Copies tasks to note or separate documents communications with care team.
Miscellaneous
Additional duties may be assigned by supervisor or management staff.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology or sociology
Prior experience working in a healthcare setting preferred
Ability to read and understand medical information, knowledge of medical terminology is helpful. Fluency in written and oral English. Spanish is a plus.
Mathematical Skills:
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, proportions, and percentages. Good computer and typing skills
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit. The employee frequently is required to walk. The employee is occasionally required to stand.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
The employee must be able to handle moderate levels of stress.
The employee is occasionally exposed to infectious diseases.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The employees will be performing their job tasks in both an inpatient health care setting and
Outpatient clinic setting
Thank you for your interest in Albany Med Health System!
Albany Med Health System is an equal opportunity employer.
This role may require access to information considered sensitive to Albany Med Health System, its patients, affiliates, and partners, including but not limited to HIPAA Protected Health Information and other information regulated by Federal and New York State statutes. Workforce members are expected to ensure that:
Access to information is based on a “need to know” and is the minimum necessary to properly perform assigned duties. Use or disclosure shall not exceed the minimum amount of information needed to accomplish an intended purpose. Reasonable efforts, consistent with Albany Med Health System policies and standards, shall be made to ensure that information is adequately protected from unauthorized access and modification.
Albany Medical Center, northeastern New York’s only academic medical center, is one of the Capital Region’s largest private employers with more than 9,000 employees. Albany Medical Center provides the highest level of patient care across disciplines, while receiving regional, national, and international recognition for high standards in patient care, education, and biomedical research.
The 766-bed Albany Medical Center offers access to the latest medical services and technological innovations and includes one of the busiest emergency rooms and trauma centers in New York, a children’s hospital and dedicated pediatric emergency room, intensive care units for adults and children, and organ transplant services. Albany Medical College graduates more than 200 medical doctors each year, as well as PAs, CRNAs, biomedical scientists, and bioethicists. Albany Medical College operates a biomedical research enterprise and the region’s largest physician practice with more than 500 doctors.
Albany Medical Center, along with Albany Medical College, is a partner in the Albany Med Health System, the largest and only regionally governed, not-for-profit health system serving northeastern New York and western New England.
