Innovative Project Support Specialist

Description

Positive Impact Health Centers (PIHC) is a community leader in providing HIV prevention, care and treatment services. The PIHC model of care assures that persons with HIV have access to medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health and social services, providing the best opportunity for patients to achieve high-quality health outcomes. 

JOB SUMMARY: The Innovative Project Support Specialist (IPSS) is an integral, patient-facing member of the Retention Team in the Client Services Department. The IPSS provides retention services and works collaboratively with the Retention Team comprised of the Community Health Workers, Community Health Support Workers (CHSW) as well as supporting the Medication Engagement Specialist (MES) to strengthen PIHC’s overall retention care efforts. The IPSS will work to develop and implement creative and fresh strategies to ensure PIHC patients remain engaged in care. The IPSS will work closely with the MES to ensure the success of Evidence Based Interventions (EBI’s) utilized in the Medication Engagement program. The IPSS will interface with the Clinic’s Care Teams to assist the teams in alleviating patient barriers to ensure patients access to essential services along with employing a safe space while navigating the patients’ social determinants of health. The IPSS will focus on patients who are struggling with ART adherence and will primarily prioritize individuals in HIV care who are not virally suppressed. This is a full-time, hourly position for which the employee will be expected to maintain a flexible 40-hour per week schedule that will include extended clinic hours, including evenings and Saturday. 

Requirements

JOB DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position description should not be interpreted as all inclusive, it may be updated as funding deliverables, clinical/agency guidelines, and CDC guidelines change. It is intended to identify the major responsibilities and requirements of this position. The incumbents may be requested to perform job-related responsibilities and tasks other than those stated in this position

description.

· Provide face-to-face and telephone retention services to assigned PIHC patients who are enrolled in a core PIHC service.

· Establish trusting relationships with patients who are affected by HIV and provide general support and encouragement.

· Provide culturally appropriate health education and information to identified patients.

· The Innovative Project Support Specialist (IPSS) will support the Retention Team in recruiting and identifying eligible individuals recognized by Community Health Workers (CHWs) during community outreach or linkage/retention activities with extensive follow-up.

· The IPSS will become proficient in utilizing Retention Tools produced by PIHC IT, including but not limited to: “90 Day Out of Care List,” “Pharmacy Retention,” and “Patients with Detectable Viral Loads.”

· Will be available for patients during extended service hours.

· Work directly with PIHC staff on behalf of patients is essential to this position.

· Facilitate patient access to ME program sessions, especially to educate patients about treatment and the appropriate use of PIHC services.

· Manage assigned caseload of patients that are viremic and/or experiencing low CD4 counts. This would include patients that have difficulty keeping appointments with needed services and taking medications as prescribed.

· Maintaining a Patient Smartsheet/Spreadsheet with discrete data points.

· Promote and maintain collaborative relationships with PIHC staff and community partners.

· Comply with the agency's policies and procedures.

· Learn the use of the agency’s Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system and maintain timely and accurate documentation of all patient interactions.

· Participate in quality assurance reviews when assigned.

· Ensure that services provided to patients adhere to the programmatic guidelines, goals, and objectives established by Federal, State and local funders.

· Able to work evening hours and/or Saturdays.

· Able to travel to all PIHC locations: Chamblee, Decatur, Clayton, Cobb and Decatur.

Summary of General Duties, Tasks, and Responsibilities

· Possess a basic understanding of HIV, including current treatment guidelines.

· Possess and demonstrate a strong understanding of factors that affect a patient’s ability to stay in care and consistently access medications.

· Possess an interest in integrating personal experience into the linkage, retention and adherence work with patients.

· Possess a thorough understanding of the community served.

· Possess a working knowledge of relevant community resources and the methods for accessing them.

· Possess excellent communication skills, such as listening well and using language appropriately.

· Able to communicate and work effectively with patients and staff from diverse backgrounds.

· Able and willing to provide emotional support, encouragement and motivation to patients.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

· Must possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited higher education setting.

· Must have 1-2 years relevant experience in a healthcare or similar non-profit setting, lived experience a plus

· Able to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and Saturdays, as assigned.

· Must possess interest or experience in working with patients who have been difficult to engage and/or have demonstrated a challenge to staying retained in traditional health care services.

· Must possess and demonstrate basic computer skills.

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES & OTHER APTITUDES (KSAOs)

· Professional experience in a healthcare or HIV services setting strongly preferred.

· Multilingual Spanish strongly preferred.

TRAVEL

· Local travel between PIHC sites and to community agencies will be required.

· Occasional travel to events for training and promotion of salient services to AIDS Service Organizations. Occasional evening and weekend work is required and working greater than 40 hours per week may be required.