Healthy Start Community Health Worker

About the role

Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital has been recognized as one of the top regional hospitals in South Florida. Located on Florida’s Treasure Coast, the hospital is committed to providing optimal family-centric and community-focused care. As a Community Health Worker (CHW), you will play a vital and unique role in linking diverse and underserved populations to health and social service systems. CHWs primarily work out in the community with specific target populations such as pregnant patients, collaborating closely with medical providers, primary care teams, and other agencies to improve patient care and outcomes. This trusting relationship enables you to serve as a liaison, link, and intermediary between health and social services and the community to facilitate access to services and improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery. You will also build individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy.

Responsibilities

• Establish trusting relationships with patients and their families while providing support, encouragement and feedback.
• Coach patients in effective management of their chronic health conditions and self-care.
• Convey the purposes and services of a program to the user population and the impact the program or service would have.
• Assist patients in understanding care plans and instructions.
• Visit patients in their homes to assess the patient, their living conditions and meet with family members or caretakers.
• Document activities, service plans and results effectively while adhering to the policies and procedures in place.
• Advocate for patients and act as a liaison between the patient/family and community service agencies (e.g., schools, hospitals, support groups, etc.).
• Help patients utilize resources, including scheduling appointments and help complete applications for programs they may be eligible for.
• Assist patients in accessing health-related services, including obtaining a medical home, providing instruction on appropriate use, overcoming barriers to obtaining needed medical care and social services.
• Facilitate communication and coordinate services between providers.
• Motivate patients to be active, engaged participants in their health.
• Work with people (staff, clients, doctors, agencies, etc.) from diverse backgrounds in reducing cultural and socio-economic barriers between clients and institutions.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with the clients, providers, nurse case managers, agency representatives, supervisors and office staff.
• Continuously expand knowledge and understanding of community resources, services and programs provided, human relations and the procedures used in dealing with the public as part of a service or program, volunteer resources and the practices associated with using volunteers, operations, functions, policies and procedures associated with the department or program area, procedures and resources available to handle new, unusual or different situations.
• Complete mandatory education and training to maintain organization and department-specific competencies and requirements.

Requirements

• High School Graduate or GED
• Valid Driver’s license may be needed for some assignments
• Excellent written, verbal and telephone communication skills
• Knowledgeable about community resources appropriate to the needs of clients/families

Preferred qualifications

• Medical Assistant training or Medical Assistant certification
• Fluent in Spanish (orally and written)
• Creole language skills
• Knowledge of medical terminology
• One year of work experience in medical office setting
• Knowledge of Electronic Medical Record (EMR)

Physical Requirements

• May need to move around intermittently during the day, including sitting, standing, stooping, bending and ambulating.
• May need to remain still for extended periods, including sitting and standing.
• May need to lift boxes or carry objects.
• Possess dexterity to operate a PC and other office equipment.

Personal Protective Equipment

Follows standard precautions using personal protective equipment as required.

Schedule

This position works days from 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM. Evening and weekend work may be required.