Patient Navigator 3

Job Function Summary:

This role involves providing non-clinical support, guidance, and assistance to patients and families as they navigate the complexities of the healthcare system within The Center of Pregnancy Options and Gynecology. The primary goals are to enhance patient satisfaction, optimize care, and improve outcomes. The navigator acts as a communication liaison to understand and address the patient’s unique non-clinical needs, preferences, and concerns. Additionally, they guide patients and families to a wide range of services, resources, and information designed to support healing and ensure a positive, seamless patient care experience.

Experienced professional who knows how to apply theory and put it into practice with in-depth understanding of the professional field; independently performs the full range of responsibilities within the function; possesses broad job knowledge; analyzes problems / issues of diverse scope and determines solutions.

Under the direction of the Nurse Director, MA Supervisor, Medical Director, and guided by the policies and procedures of the Ambulatory Services and the department, the Patient Navigator for Center for Pregnancy Options (CPO) assists in the delivery of patient-centered care to patients in the UCSF Women’s

Health family planning practice. S/he provides individualized assistance and support to patients during their family planning and abortion services, acting as a resource and advocate for patients.

Responsible for empaneling of new patients, handling financial eligibility and referrals. Provides hands-on clinical assistance with menopause care in clinic. Provides telephone, MyChart, and in-person assistance to patients and internal and external medical providers. Accountable for prioritizing and handling multiple responsibilities simultaneously to provide customized coordination and support for an at-risk patient population. Required to sensitive offer patient care in emotionally complex situation. 

The Patient Navigator provides patient care coordination by serving as a resource and liaison between patients and practitioners. Assists with navigating all aspects of the healthcare system. This involves developing expertise in the operations and systems underlying all service areas directly or indirectly related to Gynecology services. Employs analytical and risk stratification tools to identify patient subset requiring higher level of support in care coordination activities. The position requires high degree of independence, initiative, as well as exceptional social skills and emotional intelligence in order to support patients with a wide variety of psycho-social needs and effectively communicate with faculty and staff throughout the clinical enterprise.

This position is a vital and an integral part of the patient-centric care mission and direct patient education efforts of the UCSF Women’s Health Departments. It is the common goal of these programs to ensure women have full, equitable and convenient access to the clinical services they require and to the women- sensitive health education information needed to make informed decisions about their care. This position requires excellent oral and written communication skills; can work well with minimal supervision in a complex, fast pace and challenging environment, and must be able to manage and mitigate patient clinical and administrative issues.

Department Overview 

The UCSF Center for Pregnancy Options provides safe, caring, and expert abortion and miscarriage services, training, and family planning research. Highly trained UCSF faculty provides these services for residents at different stages of their teaching curriculum. They support medical students who rotate through the clinic. CPO accepts most insurance including both private and Medi-Cal, and provides abortion for social, medical and fetal (all) indications in the first and second trimesters and treatment of miscarriage. Contraception or preconception planning is included per patient needs.

Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities 

Qualifications

Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs)

Education, Licenses and Certifications:

Problem Solving 

Common problems solved by the employee:

• Works closely with faculty providers, residents, fellows, other departments, and management and provides high-level patient care coordination support for clinical practice. Serves as a liaison between a patient and practitioners and helps patients navigate external and internal family planning services.

• Acts as a point of contact for patients and colleagues for CPO-related questions and concerns and regularly collects patient feedback and/or complaints. Assists with patient questions and concerns about administrative, financial, or clinical issues. Facilitates processes and communication with health care team to ensure patients receive quick resolution to their questions/concerns by expediting contact with appropriate care providers.

Less frequent and more complex problems solved by the employee:

• Maintains, analyzes all relevant patient databases, and provides monthly statistics reporting regarding progress in achieving measurable performance indicators.

   

Problems/situations that are referred to this employee's supervisor:

• Patient grievances that need leadership guidance

• Financial-related escalations