The Community Health Worker (CHW) is an integral member of the interdisciplinary health team and works with staff and patients to reach healthcare goals, keep the lines of communication open, and help ensure patients understand every aspect of their care. The CHW is responsible for helping patients and their families to navigate and access community services, other resources, and adopt healthy behaviors. The CHW supports providers and case managers through an integrated approach to care management and community outreach. As a priority, activities will promote, maintain, and improve the health of patients and their family. The CHW provides social support and informal counseling and advocates for individuals and community health needs.QUALIFICATIONS:
- One year of medical experience preferred.
- Successful completion of a Community Health Worker training is preferred.
- Orientation as a clinical assistant (CA) and at least 30 days working on the floor as a CA required.
- Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is required
- Possess strong clinical and teaching skills and strong analytical thinking and ability to handle multiple tasks concurrently.
- Strong interest in working with an interdisciplinary health team and culturally diverse patient population.
- Good verbal and written communication skills.
- Computer skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office.
- Excellent customer service and able to interact with compassion and empathy.
- Effective communication skills
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- Familiar with professional and technical emerging knowledge
- Problem solving skills and ability to multi-task
- Compassionate with teamwork skills
- Understand the community served, and have community connectedness.
- Good organizational skills to handle multiple priorities
- Ability to work with many diverse people, including children and teenagers
- Ability to be self-directed and flexible
SUPPORTIVE/CHARGE RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Consult with patients and family members to discuss their health problems.
- Track assigned referrals to ensure patient access and support patients in overcoming barriers to care.
- Educate patients about their condition, medication, and give them specific instructions.
- Assist patients with preventative care and help find affordable places to receive the care. If a patient does not have insurance, provide information about applicable services and programs they may qualify for.
- Assist patients with completing applications for patient assistance programs
- Help patients make informed decisions by acting as their advocate regarding their clinical status and treatment options
- Develop effective working relations and cooperate with medical team throughout the entire case management process
- Take the extra mile and interact with patients to keep track of their progress to ensure satisfaction
- Record case information and accurately complete all necessary forms
- Promote quality and cost-effective interventions and outcomes
- Assess and address motivational and psychosocial issues
- Adhere to professional standards as outlined by protocols, rules and regulations
- Provide ongoing follow-up, basic motivational interviewing and goal setting with patients/families.
- Follow - up with patients via phone calls, home visits and visits to other settings where patients can be found.
- Acknowledges that the Community Health Worker role is constantly evolving to meet the needs of patients
- Help patients set personal health related goals and attend appointments.
- Provide referrals for services to community agencies as appropriate.
- Help patients connect with transportation resources and provide appointment reminders in special circumstances.
- Knowledgeable about community resources appropriate to needs of patients/families.
- Responsible for providing consistent communication to the case manager and care team to evaluate patient/family status, ensuring that provided information, and reports clearly describe progress.
- Act as a patient advocate and liaison between the patient/family and community service agencies.
Maintains Professional Standards
- Meets deadlines to maintain current license and required annual training.
- Demonstrates flexibility in work roles and schedules to meet the changing needs of the health center.
- Maintains awareness of new information applicable to job, i.e. policies, meeting minutes, procedures, memos, protocols.
- Utilizes slow times constructively to enhance clinic operations; assists other departments when time and workload permits.
- Maintains professional appearance and follows established dress code.
- Promptly informs supervisor of real or potential clinic problems. Maintains confidentiality of patients and staff.
- Employee actively pursues continuing education in order to improve job skills and performance.
- Able to identify own areas of needed improvement, formulates goals and actively works toward those goals.
- Utilizes appropriate methods to deal with stressful situations.
- Understands organizational goals and performs job duties in a manner consistent with these goals.
- Can be relied upon to meet work schedules and fulfill responsibilities and commitments, attendance, punctuality, dependability, initiative, productivity and efficiency.
- Maintains a current CPR license, participates in educational trainings offered at GSPHC