Breast & Cervical Health Patient Navigator

DAP Health•Cathedral City, CA

38d•Onsite

About The Position

At DAP Health, we are committed to transforming lives and advancing health equity for all. As a leading nonprofit health care provider, we deliver compassionate, high-quality care to the diverse communities of the Coachella Valley and San Diego County. Our comprehensive services range from primary care to mental health, wellness programs, and beyond, with a focus on those who are most vulnerable. Joining our team means becoming part of a passionate, innovative organization dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the lives of those we serve. If you're looking for a dynamic and purpose-driven environment, we invite you to explore the opportunity to contribute to our mission. Job Summary The Breast & Cervical Health Patient Navigator (BCPN) is responsible for providing health care systems navigation for patients who seek breast and cervical cancer screening/diagnostic services at DAP Health. The BCPN will guide patients through the cancer "continuum of care" to be screened for breast and cervical cancer, receive any necessary diagnostic care, get treatment if cancer is diagnosed and receive follow-up care after treatment. The BCPN will work to ensure timely entry into the continuum, timely result notification of screening and diagnostic care, assess gaps in service availability, identify barriers faced, and determine what can be done to address those gaps and barriers. The BCPN will also provide patients and families with education and information regarding the continuum of care process. The BCPN serves as an important facilitator among the patient, family, caregiver, and health team. The Director of Operations for OBGYN & Behavioral Health provides technical assistance, cross-site alignment, and programmatic guidance to ensure adherence to protocols and quality benchmarks

Requirements

Critical thinking and problem solving
Excellent customer service
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Ability to relate to and work with persons of all ages, social backgrounds, and ethnic backgrounds
Demonstrate an understanding of and an appreciation for the physical, social, and psychological needs of the population served
Good organization and time management
Ability to work independently and meet deadlines
Excellent interpersonal skills
Ability to perform Motivational Interviewing
Knowledge of medical terminology and computer skills
Ability to travel to DAP Health locations throughout San Diego and the Coachella Valley
Current BLS certification obtained through the American Heart Association or American Red Cross
Minimum of two years working in an OBGYN health setting and/or community health setting
Experience with providing patient education and care coordination
Knowledge and experience of health care access and health system navigation, connecting patients to social service support agencies and resources

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in Spanish/English preferred
Minimum of two years of breast or gynecological cancer screening navigation/care coordination or two years of care coordination/patient navigation in a related field, preferred
Knowledge of breast and cervical cancer screening services and education, preferred
Knowledge of available public funded programs including Every Woman Counts, Family PACT, and Breast Cervical Cancer Treatment Program (BCCTP), preferred
Medical Assistant certificate, preferred
Patient Navigation certification, preferred

Responsibilities

Enroll patients in navigation program and initiate communication with patients upon receiving a referral for breast/cervical cancer screening and/or a resulted cervical cancer screening test
Support and maintain ongoing and appropriate communication with patients throughout the cancer continuum of care-screening, diagnosis, and treatment- until final diagnosis is reached
Manage all active cases until final diagnosis, including short-term surveillance monitoring as directed in the EHR and document all interactions with patients accurately and appropriately in EHR
Provide education and instruct patients on breast and/or cervical procedural preparation as applicable
Schedule and reschedule patient appointments for continuity of care
Facilitate communication and coordination among the health care team, involving the patient in decision-making to reduce delays until a final diagnosis is reached
Conduct intakes and assessments to assess barriers for adherence to diagnostic work-up and/or initiation to treatment
Collaborate with care teams, internal departments, and community organizations to address barriers to care.
Connect patients and their families to community and social support services
Advocate and educate with compassion and empathy for the patient to ensure patient has the knowledge to care for their condition, is empowered to be responsible for participating in the plan of care to facilitate positive outcomes
Appropriately co-manage and seek assistance from Nursing for abnormal/cancer cases
Conduct recalls for patients on short-term surveillance for breast/cervical cancer screening services
Complete and submit DETEC within standards for all Every Woman Counts cases
Develop relationships with external referral providers providing diagnostic and treatment services and with community organizations providing social support services
Use reporting tools to manage case load, recalls, targets, and referral status
Work toward meeting core program performance indicators and population health goals
Plan and execute mobile mammography events at the health center in collaboration with Clinic Leadership
Participate in and attend all meetings as requested, such as team program meetings, clinic/department meetings, committees, huddles, and trainings
Support quality improvement initiatives related to cancer screening completion, follow- up, and timelines of care
Follow scope-specific, program, and DAP Health guidelines, policies, procedures, and protocols for patient care and service quality
Perform other duties as assigned