Clinical Navigator (RT)

Respire Homecare Services•Elmhurst, IL

1d•$38 - $45

About The Position

Respire Homecare Services is seeking a Clinical Navigator (RT) to guide patients and families through the home respiratory-care journey, from referral acceptance through onboarding, equipment setup, ongoing support, resupply, recertification, and discharge or transfer. The Navigator serves as a consistent clinical contact, coordinating families, Sales Liaisons, providers, referral partners, facilities, and internal teams to anticipate barriers and support safe transitions home. This hands-on clinical role uses respiratory therapy expertise to educate and reassure caregivers, troubleshoot respiratory equipment and therapy concerns, coordinate clinical and payer requirements, and ensure orders, documentation, equipment, and follow-up are ready when needed. The Navigator manages a patient portfolio assigned to 2–4 Sales Liaisons and reports to the Director, Patient Navigation. Field equipment setups and follow-up visits may be performed as staffing and patient needs require.

Requirements

Active, unencumbered Respiratory Therapist license (CRT or RRT) in the state of practice.
At least two years of respiratory therapy experience.
Hands-on knowledge of home respiratory equipment and ventilator and tracheostomy care.
Working knowledge of clinical documentation, medical necessity, payer requirements, insurance verification, prior authorization, and patient-access workflows, or ability to learn them quickly.
Strong organization and follow-through, including ability to manage a caseload, competing priorities, deadlines, and detailed documentation in a fast-paced environment.
Clear and respectful written and verbal communication with patients, caregivers, referral partners, physicians, payers, and internal teams.
Sound clinical judgment, resourceful problem-solving, and ability to distinguish routine needs from urgent concerns requiring escalation.
Confidence working in the field and with referral partners, along with empathy, discretion, reliability, and persistent patient advocacy within policy and role scope.
Comfort using electronic health records, payer portals, workflow systems, Microsoft Office, telephone systems, and other digital tools.

Nice To Haves

RRT credential preferred.
Experience in HME or DME, home care, patient access, intake, case management, insurance verification, or authorization preferred.
Brightree experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage an assigned patient portfolio from referral acceptance through onboarding, setup, ongoing support, resupply, recertification, and discharge or transfer.
Introduce Respire and the onboarding process to families, explain service expectations and next steps, confirm demographic and insurance information, and identify potential barriers.
Coordinate with an assigned team of 2–4 Sales Liaisons on referral commitments, discharge planning, home evaluations, documentation, equipment needs, and timing.
Review clinical, documentation, and payer requirements; verify insurance; submit prior authorizations; and obtain missing information, orders, and signatures with relevant parties.
Coordinate families, hospitals or facilities, prescribers, RTs, warehouse, delivery, and internal support teams around transition milestones, risks, and setup dates.
Schedule home assessments, caregiver training, equipment setup, and follow-up visits, and verify readiness of equipment, supplies, documentation, and clinical orders.
Educate patients and caregivers, troubleshoot respiratory equipment and therapy concerns, reinforce the plan of care, and route urgent or out-of-scope issues to the appropriate clinician or provider.
Perform equipment setups and follow-up visits as staffing and patient needs require, consistent with licensure, competency, policy, and the plan of care.
Schedule and track follow-up, proactive outreach, resupply, continued-need documentation, prior-authorization renewals, and recertification.
Maintain timely and accurate Brightree records, notes, tasks, workflow status, and handoffs; keep families, referral partners, and internal teams informed.
Identify clinical, safety, caregiver, access, financial, service, or continuity concerns; act within role scope and track escalated issues through resolution.
Participate in physician and referral-partner conversations, hospital or facility meetings, and Sales ride-alongs.
Participate in competency validation, team huddles, care coordination, complaint and incident review, audits, training, and process-improvement activities.