Community Health Worker

Katahdin Valley Health Center

Job Description

Patient Assistance Specialist

Reports To: Chief Operating Officer

Status: Hourly

Facility Location: Varies

Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00AM-5:00PM

POSITION SUMMARY

The Community Health Worker will work cooperatively with KVHC patients in the endeavor to increase the number of patients who have access to health care. The person in this role will assist patients in applying for insurances, coverage, the sliding fee discount program, medication assistance and other resources. The Community Health Worker will conduct outreach, marketing and education to better inform patients on the management of health conditions, prevention of diseases, and choices of coverage and how their plan works. The Community Health Worker is responsible to help patients and their families to navigate and access community services and adopt healthy behaviors. The Community Health Worker acts as a bridge between providers and patients to promote health, reduce disparities, address social determinates of health, and improve service delivery.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Assist clients to apply for appropriate health coverage plans, providing necessary follow-up, tracking and data collection.

2. Serve as a central resource for community questions and referrals for both consumers and providers, building relationships with community outreach workers, community resources, and providers to help identify eligibility barriers and qualification guidelines.

3. Work closely with state and federal agencies for MaineCare and public health, and with other community outreach workers and agencies to identify potential consumers of the system and to provide them with current, accurate information and assistance, when necessary.

4. Attend appropriate community or networking meetings to facilitate outreach and gathering of information to increase effectiveness of KVHC’s Eligibility Program.

5. Prepare or identify educational flyers and handouts to distribute through local health and human services networks and other community-based groups and collaborate on marketing efforts.

6. Develop and maintain a tracking and follow-up system for Medicaid, Sliding Fee, Medication Assistance, Exchanges and other applications to ensure that all aspects of the process, from application through post-enrollment, have been completed and that the client is able to receive appropriate services.

7. Maintain statistics and data on contacts; identify needs, problems and service gaps. Track and tabulate contacts, application submissions and post-enrollment follow-up efforts.

8. Facilitate and administer the sliding fee process: review application for completion, documentation and eligibility criteria.

9. Facilitates the medication assistance program including: assisting patients in completing application and ensuring all necessary documentation is attached, prior to forwarding to pharmaceutical company.

10. Coordinate medications that are received by to ensure that distribution is coordinated properly to the patient.

11. Complete the Maine Citizenship & Identity Requirements.

12. Assist in collections from Sliding fee patients: educating them on the importance of paying slide co-pays.

13. Participates in care coordination or case management, including making referrals, providing follow up and documenting/tracking individual and population level data.

14. Facilitate transportation to and from services and help address barriers to care.

15. Inform stakeholders on community assets, opportunities, threats, and challenges.

16. Assist individual with basic socioeconomic or geographic needs (e.g. providing transportation, linking to outside sources)

17. Responsible for establishing trusting relationships with patients and their families while providing general support and encouragement.

18. Provide ongoing follow-up, basic motivational interviewing and goal setting with patients and families.

19. Support individual’s self-management or disease screenings, prevention, and management of health conditions.

20. Educate individuals on how to use health and special service systems and increase individual’s health literacy and cross cultural communication.

21. Follow up with patients via phone calls and visits to other settings where patients can be found, for example Health Fairs.

22. Help patients set personal health related goals and attend appointments.

23. Connect patients to resources and advocate for basic needs (e.g. safety, food, and shelter).

24. Responsible for providing consistent communication and reports to the Community Health Coordinator.

25. Act as patient advocate and liaison between the patient, Family, and community service agencies.

26. Conduct culturally and linguistically competent health promotion and disease prevention education.

27. Cross train on functions and responsibilities for the front office position. Demonstrate teamwork to help cover front office responsibilities when needed.

28. Performs additional duties or projects as assigned by the Community Health Coordinator.

29. Adheres to all KVHC policies and protocols.

30. Complies with all safety rules and protocols. Reports all incidents, regardless of severity, immediately to their supervisor and completes an incident report and investigation form, which will be forwarded to Human Resources within 24 hours of the incident.

31. Conducts themselves as a good steward in the communities served by KVHC; represents the organization at outreach activities as needed.

32. Actively participates as committee member as assigned by the Chief Executive Officer.

33. Interacts harmoniously and effectively with others. Focusing on the attainment of organization goals and objectives through a commitment to team work.

34. Conforms to acceptable attendance and punctuality standards as expressed in the employee handbook.

35. Abides by the organization’s compliance program and requirements

36. At times you may be faced with challenges that may impact patient care. Addressing these challenges may not be in your job description, however Katahdin Valley Health Center encourages each team member to go above and beyond to address the patients’ needs in the moment. Employees have the autonomy to see the care experience through from A to Z to show our patients KVHC C.A.R.E.S.

37. The employee may be responsible for traveling to multiple locations as specified in their job offer and/or contract.

PROFESSIONAL EXPECTATIONS

1. Admit mistakes or missteps openly, own your own behavior, forgive one another, and model vulnerability and humility.

2. Keep discussions about team members, subordinates, and colleagues as well as challenges in the workplace, positive, constructive, and factual.

3. Be mindful of employee confidentiality even among peers, and particularly where an issue involves a peer.

4. Only say what you would be willing to say to someone directly.

5. Whenever possible, speak directly to the person with whom you are having a disagreement or a challenge. Challenge yourself to engage in these discussions. Do not avoid constructive conflict.

6. Work with your supervisor or HR when you need to process a performance or behavioral situation with a colleague or subordinate to determine next steps.

7. It is always okay, and usually preferable, to pause, and take time to reflect before reacting to a situation.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

1. High School or equivalent diploma, or a combination of education and experience. Associate’s Degree in Business Administration or related field preferred.

2. Experience in a community based setting for 1-2 years preferred.

3. Certification as a Community Health Worker to be completed within one year.

4. Medical Terminology experience preferred.

5. Business course and a working knowledge of professional office setting.

6. Proficient with computer/keyboard and Microsoft Office Products.

7. Must possess a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation and ability to travel to all KVHC sites as needed.

8. Must possess the ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing, with proper grammar and etiquette.

9. Previous working experience in a Health Care Setting.

10. Customer and, or Patient service experience.

11. Must have excellent interpersonal skills and problem solving skills.

12. Must be able to work under pressure in a busy health office setting.

13. Must possess the ability follow all safety policies.

14. Completion of a Medical Terminology Course – recommended or willingness to obtain.

15. Must possess a clean criminal and DHHS background.

16. Must possess the ability and means to travel between clinics as needed.

17. Valid State of Maine Driver’s license and ability to be insured by KVHC’s vehicle insurance carrier.

FUNCTION, DEMANDS AND PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE

Requires full range of body motion with the ability to bend, kneel and stoop. Must possess: the ability to sit and or stand for long periods of time, the ability to lift approximately 30 lbs., visual acuity with color vision, the ability to communicate effectively and calmly in a professional manner, the ability to follow all workplace policies including safety and confidentiality, the ability to perform repetitive motion keyboarding functions, exposure to communicable disease, toxic substances, medicinal preparations and other conditions common to clinic environment. Knowledge of organizational policies, regulations, and procedures to administer patient care. Must possess the ability to work with and around medical equipment and instruments safely and effectively as appropriate. Knowledge of common safety hazards and precautions to establish a safe work environment including Safety Data Sheets. Skill in preparing and maintaining records, writing reports, and responding to correspondence. Skill in developing and maintaining department quality assurance. Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with patients, medical staff, and the public. Ability to maintain quality control standards. Ability to react calmly and effectively in emergencies. Ability to interpret, adapt and apply guidelines and procedures. Ability to communicate clearly.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF PATIENT INFORMATION AND ALL KVHC HEALTH CENTER

BUSINESS IS ESSENTIAL. EMPLOYEES MUST COMPLY WITH THE HEALTH INSURANCE

PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 1996-PUBLIC LAW 104-191

Employee Acknowledgement:

Every effort has been made to make the job description as complete as possible. However, it in no way states or implies that these are the only duties required. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is a logical assignment to the position.

I have received a copy of my job description and can perform the essential functions and performance standards with the specific accommodations, listed below. If nothing is listed, I attest that I can perform the functions and performance standards without accommodations.

________________________________ ____/____/____

Signature Date

________________________________

Print Name

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person