Job Description

The Health Navigator (HN) supports quality patient and family-centered care through performing a variety of high-level functions to support the needs of the healthcare team and patients/families. This role supports health care providers in the care of patients in a culturally diverse population by ensuring referrals are processed in a timely manner to an appropriate facility. This position provides direct patient services such as supporting patients to attend referral appointments, and interfacing with insurance and payor systems on the patient’s behalf. It provides patients assistance to help them achieve successful enrollments into health coverage through the MNsure marketplace if needed.

This role supports the SDOH patient screening process that seeks to identify patients who have difficulty with a broad array of social determinants of health and provides appropriate assistance and community resources to patients.

The person filling this role must be flexible, creative and understand marginalized populations, the unique health conditions affecting them and the social context in which they develop.

Responsibilities
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Manages patients across the health care continuum to achieve efficient clinical, financial, operational, and satisfaction outcomes.
• Acts as one point of contact for patients, physicians and care providers as a key member of the patient centered medical home.
• Serves as a point of contact for patients who receive a medical referral and provides support throughout the process.
• Processes referral documents for all medical referrals (specialist, outside tests and radiology) and faxing necessary documents to the receiving clinic.
• Manage time sensitive referrals and track patient referrals to and from specialty care to ensure continuity of care and to prevent poor outcomes.
• Interfaces with insurance companies and other payor sources to ensure accurate billing.
• Participates in MCC integrated health partnership work by identifying social determinants of health (SDOH) issues and connects patients with appropriate community resources to help improve their health outcomes. Maintains documentation with these referrals, including tracking referrals to ensure a closed loop.
• Documents in electronic medical record in an accurate and confidential manner.
• Supports medical records in obtaining referring test results and referring office visits and assuring placement in EMR.
• Partners with Health Navigator Supervisor to optimize referral care delivery and drive continuous improvement through utilization of department performance metrics aligned with organization’s strategic goals.
• Sets priorities and organizes work to deliver safe and efficient patient care.
• Assists in training referral skills with externs, students or new Health Navigators during their orientation period.

Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Supervisory Responsibilities
This role does not have any supervisory responsibilities.

Work Environment and Physical Demands
This position is very active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, and stooping all day. This role also routinely comes into contact with patients who may have contagious illnesses.

Who We Are
As Minnesota's largest Federally Qualified Health Center, Minnesota Community Care ensures that the communities we serve have access to high quality and affordable health care. Our patients predominantly identify as people of color (80%), low-wealth (61% patients = 200% FPL), and un/under-insured (40% uninsured, 45% publicly insured) (UDS, 2020).

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Minnesota Community Care values building a culturally diverse staff that reflects the communities it serves, and strongly encourages women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to apply. Minnesota Community Care is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunities to all applicants. EO M/F/Disability/Vet Employer.

Required Education and Experience

• Associate’s degree in social work, human services, or a related field; or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• Experience working with people experiencing homelessness, immigrant, and traditionally underserved populations.
• 2+ years in a clinical setting or similar experience.
• BLS certification
• Bilingual: English/Spanish, English/Hmong highly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Skill in exercising initiative, judgment, independent problem-solving, and decision making.
• High standard of ethics in upholding patient’s rights.
• Excellent organization and time management skills
• Ability to work with and communicate effectively with a diverse group of people and cultures.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clinical and administrative employees.
• Working knowledge of the Twin Cities community resources, state and county resources, and health system navigation.
• Experience working with an Electronic Medical Record (EMR), like AthenaHealth or EPIC.
• Proficiency with computers, tablets, cellular phones, Microsoft Office, basic knowledge of Microsoft Teams, Outlook or similar applications