Community Health Coach - Full Time - Days

Best Care•Council Bluffs, IA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Community Health Coach promotes health among the communities and populations served by Nebraska Methodist Health System. This non-clinical role acts as a liaison between communities and health care organizations, providing guidance and social assistance and helping care teams improve individual health outcomes. As part of the care team, the coach screens for basic social determinants of health and works to remove barriers to care while advocating for individual and community health. The position is based at Methodist Jennie Edmundson in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and is scheduled Monday through Friday, with occasional nights and weekends possible. The role supports vulnerable patients of all ages, typically from underserved, low-income urban, suburban, and rural communities.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Completion of the Community Health Worker online program and onsite training.
Valid driver’s license and own mode of transportation at the time of hire and throughout employment.
Knowledge of basic health, social determinants, safety, and emergency preparedness.
Knowledge of community benefit organizations.
Ability to screen for and make referrals to address social determinants of health, such as housing, transportation, and food insecurity.
Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills.
Flexibility and adaptability in a rapidly changing health-care environment.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to address individual, team, and community needs with agility.
Ability to support vulnerable patients of all ages, typically from underserved, low-income communities in urban, suburban, and rural areas.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in social work.
Two years of community health, customer experience, patient advocacy, or payor experience.
American Heart Association or American Red Cross Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

Responsibilities

Work as part of the Patient-Centered Medical Home Team to improve the wellbeing of patient populations.
Establish trust and rapport with patients in culturally and linguistically appropriate ways.
Screen for social determinants of health and barriers to patients achieving health outcomes, such as transportation, housing, and food insecurity.
Address social determinants of health by connecting patients with community benefit organizations, referring them to internal resources, or connecting them with other care-team members.
Document patient interactions and social determinants of health or barriers to care to improve care coordination and patient outcomes.
Educate and encourage patients to seek and accept available resources.
Educate and encourage patients to connect with and trust the health care team.
Build strong relationships with commonly referred community benefit organizations.
Act as a trusted community member by participating in community events, coalitions, or health fairs.
Help the care team better understand community members’ cultural norms and beliefs to increase cultural competence.
Establish relationships and act as a trusted resource for network providers and clinic personnel to advance value-based care.
Support a culture that maximizes acceptance of change.