Ascending to Health: Patient Navigator (MA/EMT) [Medical Assistant, Patient Care, Medical Respite, Healthcare]

Please note: Ascending to Health is a separate organization from Catholic Charities of Central Colorado and will be the employer for this position.

About the Role

Ascending to Health Respite Care is a medical respite program for people experiencing homelessness, that also provides primary medical care. The program serves homeless individuals being discharged from inpatient hospital stays who are too well to remain hospitalized, but who are too fragile to care for themselves effectively in a shelter or on the street. Both the medical respite and clinical components are based on outreach and meeting patients where they are.

The Patient Navigator is a dual-capacity position that supports the provider in clinical and outreach settings and is the first and primary contact for patients participating in the medical respite program.

Responsibilities

Clinical Support

• Schedules appointments and checks patients in
• Assists provider in clinical encounters
• Arranges follow-up appointments for labs and specialty care providers
• Ensures clinical space is clean, stocked, and ready for encounters
• Maintains appropriate supplies for housing and field-based encounters
• Clinical encounters may occur in the clinic office, patient rooms, or street outreach settings

The ideal candidate is able to ride a bicycle 15 - 20 miles per day while assisting with bicycle-based outreach up to three times per week, when needed to support outreach.

Medical Respite Support

• Conducts daily rounds to check, record, and monitor patient vital signs
• Replenishes patient food and hygiene supplies
• Ensures patients are scheduled for and attend follow-up appointments
• Picks up medications from pharmacies
• Manages and administers controlled medications for patients in the program when necessary
• Monitors medical, hygiene, food, and office supplies and submits replenishment orders

Patient Care and Clinical Support

• Supports clinical workflow: rooms patients and completes necessary documentation
• Performs patient vitals: pulse rate, temperature, blood pressure, weight, height, SPO2, and reports abnormalities to nursing/provider staff
• Prepares patient rooms using infection-control practices
• Performs in-house CLIA-waived testing and required quality controls, when appropriately trained
• Administers medication injections, when appropriately trained
• Accompanies provider and other team members in outreach activities, including medical visits

Patient Coordination and Documentation

• Creates and manages patient appointments in practice management system
• Updates patient information accurately and promptly in the electronic health record (EHR)
• Assists in completing incoming paperwork and forms using information from the EHR, ensuring all required releases of information (ROI) are completed
• Forwards documents to the provider as appropriate for decision-making
• Communicates effectively and professionally with patients and internal and external providers, documenting all communications in the medical record
• Sends and follows up on patient referrals and lab orders
• Arranges for the pickup or delivery of patient prescriptions
• Coordinates and delivers food to patients

Program and Facility Support

• Supports the Lead Navigator in arranging and conducting prospective patient interviews, as needed
• Supports the Lead Navigator with patient intakes and discharges, as needed
• Participates in team huddles
• Monitors and maintains supply levels and routinely removes expired products
• Ensures the facility remains neat, clean, and uncluttered

Skills

• Critical-thinking skills and comfort making decisions within the scope of the position
• Flexibility and resilience when working with patients and community partners to achieve therapeutic outcomes
• High emotional intelligence and a willingness to learn from clinical staff, coworkers, community partners, and patients
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries with patients and their support networks
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to accurately and professionally implement and document the services provided
• Ability to work collaboratively within a team in a fast-paced environment
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, and familiarity with electronic medical records
• Strong customer service, prioritization, and organizational skills

Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years old
• High school diploma or GED required
• Current MA or EMT certification; national certification preferred
• Three years of relevant experience preferred
• Equivalent military training and certification accepted
• CPR/BLS certification required; training will be provided
• Mental Health First Aid required; training will be provided
• De-escalation training required; training will be provided
• QMAP Certification required; training will be provided

Pay

$19 to $22 per hour (approximately $39,520 to $45,760 per year) depending on experience/training

Schedule

Nonexempt

Full Time: 40 hours/week, half days on alternating weekends required