Patient Advocate Navigator

Novellis Health•Brooklyn, NY

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The Patient Advocate Navigator is the dedicated, non-clinical point of contact for patients in the Radiation Oncology and Urology departments in Brooklyn, NY. The role supports patients and families from referral and consultation through treatment and follow-up, helping minimize delays and barriers while ensuring patients feel informed, supported, and heard. The Navigator tracks administrative tasks such as scheduling, authorizations, records, insurance, and transportation; coordinates follow-through with responsible team members; identifies barriers to care; and connects patients with financial, social, and community resources. The role does not provide medical advice and routes clinical questions to the appropriate nurse, medical assistant, or provider. The Navigator coordinates patient care and communication across departments, referring providers, hospitals, imaging centers, and labs. Responsibilities include scheduling and confirming appointments, requesting and tracking prior authorizations, verifying coverage, registering patients, maintaining records in Aria and DrChrono, and communicating appointment details and written pre-visit instructions. The Navigator documents contacts and follow-up, protects patient privacy under HIPAA and practice policies, and contributes feedback to improve navigation workflows and the patient experience. Novellis Health is a thriving, independently physician-owned and managed private practice focused on community-based patient care.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
2–3 years of experience in a patient-facing healthcare role, such as patient care coordinator, patient access, front desk, or patient services, including scheduling, insurance verification, or prior authorizations.
Strong EMR and Microsoft Office skills.
Working knowledge of health insurance, including commercial plans, Medicare, and Medicaid.
No clinical license or certification is required.
Strong follow-through, including tracking open items to completion and escalating early when an item may be at risk.
Clear, compassionate communication with patients, families, providers, and outside offices, including the ability to explain complex processes in plain language.
Resourcefulness and persistence in advocating for patients and solving problems on their behalf.
Strong organization, time management, and ability to prioritize in a fast-paced, multi-provider clinic.
Attention to detail in documentation, authorizations, and patient privacy.
Ability to remain calm, empathetic, and professional with patients facing serious diagnoses or high-stress situations.
Sound judgment in recognizing clinical questions and routing them to the appropriate team member.
Ability to work independently and collaborate as part of a team.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in Spanish or Russian (highly preferred).
Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in health administration, public health, social work, or a related field.
Experience in oncology, radiation oncology, urology, or another specialty practice.
Hands-on experience with Aria and/or DrChrono.
Patient navigation training or certificate.
Familiarity with financial assistance programs and community resources in Brooklyn and New York City.

Responsibilities

Serve as the main point of contact for newly diagnosed, newly referred, or treatment-starting patients, guiding them from referral and consultation through simulation, treatment, and follow-up.
Meet with new patients in person or by phone to explain what to expect, introduce the care team, and help patients understand the steps ahead.
Identify barriers to care, including financial hardship, insurance gaps, transportation, language, caregiving, or work conflicts, and work with patients and the care team to resolve them.
Advocate for patients’ needs and preferences with the care team and ensure concerns are heard and addressed promptly.
Connect patients and families with social work, financial counseling, copay and manufacturer assistance programs, support groups, and community organizations.
Arrange interpreter services when needed.
Track open patient tasks across both departments, including referrals, prior authorizations, records requests, scheduling, callbacks, and outside appointments, and confirm timely completion.
Identify coordination gaps such as missed follow-ups, unscheduled imaging or treatments, pending results, and expired authorizations, and escalate them to the appropriate staff.
Ensure outside records, imaging reports, pathology, and imaging CDs are requested and available in the chart before consultations or treatment.
Coordinate with referring physicians, hospitals, imaging centers, and labs; fax consult letters, follow-up notes, and visit summaries to referring providers.
Participate in daily huddles to review the schedule, outstanding tasks, and patients needing follow-up or extra support.
Schedule and confirm consultations, simulations, treatments, procedures, imaging, and follow-up visits, coordinating around patients’ needs and other appointments.
Request prior authorizations for imaging, procedures, and treatments and track them through approval.
Regularly verify insurance coverage, especially for patients actively undergoing treatment, and alert patients and staff to coverage changes early.
Help patients understand benefits, expected costs, and billing questions, referring them to financial counseling or billing staff as needed.
Register new patients and obtain, scan, and upload medical records, IDs, and insurance cards into the EMR.
Keep providers informed of reschedules, no-shows, and add-ons, and coordinate scheduling with the front desk.
Communicate appointment details and care-team-written pre-visit instructions, and send reminders and confirmations through Weave.
Return patient calls and messages and promptly route clinical questions, symptoms, and medication or refill requests to the appropriate nurse, medical assistant, or provider.
Coordinate transportation through patients’ insurance and/or rideshare services so patients arrive on time for visits and daily treatments.
Check in with patients during and after treatment, ensure their needs are being met, and follow up on missed appointments.
Support patients and families professionally and compassionately, resolve complaints and concerns, and escalate when needed to the Practice Manager.
Document patient contacts, identified barriers, provided resources, and follow-up actions accurately and promptly in Aria and DrChrono.
Prepare and send medical records after receiving a signed release of information.
Protect patient privacy and follow HIPAA and practice policies, flagging issues to the Practice Manager.
Gather patient feedback and suggest improvements to navigation workflows and the patient experience.