Patient Advocacy Program Manager

Texas Health Action•Austin, TX

8h•$34

About The Position

Texas Health Action (THA) is a community-informed non-profit organization dedicated to providing access to culturally affirming, quality health services in a safe and supportive environment, with expertise in serving LGBTQIA+ people and those impacted by HIV. Kind Clinic proudly serves Texas with four vibrant locations: two in Austin, one in San Antonio, and another in Dallas plus virtual care services available to all residents across Texas. Bolstered by Waterloo Counseling Center and a passionate team of over 250 dedicated employees and volunteers, THA is at the forefront of promoting healthcare equity and accessibility throughout the state. Read more about THA here: http://texashealthaction.org. Texas Health Action is seeking a Patient Advocacy Program Manager to beresponsible for the day-to-day management of the Kind Clinic Patient Advocacy program and directly oversee Patient Advocate Supervisors across all Kind Clinic locations. The Program Manager will work closely with Kind Clinic clinical staff, the Patient Support Center, Retention, Care Navigation, Revenue Cycle Management, and pharmacy teams to enhance and maximize the patient experience. This role provides leadership and oversight of patient financial navigation and internal patient assistance program operations to support patient affordability, continuity of care, and compliance with all local, state, and federal funding requirements. This position reports to the Director of Patient Support Services. Up to 25% of travel is required to Kind Clinic locations in other cities.

Requirements

Must have basic PC skills that include a combination of working in a Windows Operating System and Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.
Understands the importance of maintaining confidentiality; able to maintain confidentiality under HIPAA standards.
Must have the ability to exercise a high degree of diplomacy and tact; excellent customer services and interpersonal communication skills; Cultural sensitivity and demonstrated ability to work with diverse people groups.
Well-developed verbal and written communication skills in English; Additional language abilities desirable. Ability to work well under pressure with minimal supervision.
Ability to effectively interact with persons of widely diverse roles, backgrounds, cultures, and socio-economic classes, those in crises or resistant or negative toward organizations.
Ability to apply time management practices to prioritize, schedule and complete work effectively to comply with mandated policies and deadlines.
Ability to work on multiple tasks or parts of tasks simultaneously to ensure timely completion of work activities.
Must be able to work productively with other departments and employees.
Ability to work with professionals from various partners and organizations.
Usually works forty (40) hours per week, some weekends may be required.
Ability to successfully manage conflict, negotiating “win-win” solutions.
Must be able to multi-task, prioritize with strong time management skills.
Exceptional follow through on tasks and assignments
Must possess leadership qualities and be able to supervise and secure the cooperation of staff.
Demonstrated understanding of patient needs in safety-net healthcare settings, including the financial, insurance, and revenue cycle factors that impact access to care. Must be compassionate and knowledgeable about the healthcare process, with the ability to support patients with questions related to cost of care, insurance billing, patient financial responsibility, and financial assistance options.
Experience monitoring medication access and treatment adherence, identifying cost- or billing-related barriers, and collaborating with clinical, pharmacy, billing, or Revenue Cycle Management teams to support patient affordability and continuity of care.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office and ability to learn systems that support patient financial navigation and revenue cycle workflows. Minimum of three (3) years of healthcare experience, including at least two (2) years of management or supervisory experience, and two (2) years in a patient advocacy, case management, or health navigation role.
Bachelor’s Degree in humanities or social services or experience that supports knowledge and abilities of service delivery within a healthcare setting required. No licensure required.

Nice To Haves

Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) a plus.
Experience with LGBTQIA+ and/or other marginalized communities a strong plus.
Experience with HIV and/or sexual health programs, or in an organization providing comparable services to similar populations preferred.
Experience with 340b and Ryan White grant requirements preferred.

Responsibilities

Supports status-neutral engagement activities that promote access to HIV biomedical interventions for prevention and care services by identifying and addressing psychosocial and financial barriers to care, including those related to insurance billing, patient financial responsibility, and assistance programs, and ensuring linkage to appropriate supportive services and resources.
Oversees patient financial navigation activities, ensuring Patient Advocacy staff are equipped to educate patients on anticipated costs of care, out-of-pocket responsibility, insurance billing processes, and available financial assistance options
Monitors issues affecting client access, adherence, retention in care, and affordability; maintains up-to-date knowledge of internal and external resources to support a seamless continuum of care
Provides guidance and escalation support for complex patient situations involving insurance billing questions, affordability concerns, or financial hardship, in coordination with Revenue Cycle Management or billing staff
Oversees the success, sustainability, and budget compliance of internal patient assistance programs, including patient eligibility and utilization monitoring
Collects, analyzes, and utilizes programmatic and operational data related to access, insurance billing outcomes, patient assistance utilization, and cost-related barriers to care to inform quality improvement and program planning
Organizes and plans program operations and facilitates solutions to system and workflow issues in collaboration with Patient Support Services leadership
Acts as a liaison between local agencies and internal departments across all Kind Clinic locations to support coordinated services and effective program operations
Assists the Director of Patient Support Services with program-specific policy and procedure development, key performance indicator tracking, and implementation of strategies to achieve departmental goals
Participates in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) processes, including annual policy review, quarterly CQI meetings, and development and monitoring of program-specific performance measures
Provides supervision, direction, and guidance to assigned Patient Advocacy staff, including responsibility for hiring, training, performance management, and staff development
Ensures understanding of grant requirements and deliverables, including DSHS/Ryan White and 340B, and supports compliance monitoring, audits, and reporting improvements
Oversees 340B-related patient support functions, including coordination with contract pharmacies, monitoring utilization trends, and addressing patient concerns in collaboration with pharmacy partners
Supports organizational growth and change initiatives by maintaining program effectiveness during operational transitions and educating stakeholders on Patient Advocacy program functions
Maintains confidentiality of protected health information and ensures staff compliance with HIPAA and organizational policies and procedures
Contributes to a collaborative, inclusive, and patient-centered environment that promotes teamwork, accountability, staff development, and care that is sex positive and free of shame, stigma, or judgment