Patient Navigator - Bascom Palmer Eye Institute - High-Risk Ophthalmology Registry

University of Miami•Miami, FL

About The Position

The Patient Navigator for the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute High-Risk Ophthalmology Registry facilitates patients’ access to services by identifying barriers to care, coordinating treatment plans, and monitoring implementation and follow-up. The role conducts patient evaluations, connects patients with eligible insurance and social service programs, provides appointment reminders, and serves as a liaison between patients and providers. It also educates and counsels patients, maintains knowledge of community resources, handles patient communications, requests medical records, addresses care gaps with the nurse navigator, and processes medical records and pathology specimens. Administrative work includes answering and directing calls, responding to inquiries, and copying, faxing, emailing, and mailing records while maintaining confidentiality. For the High-Risk Ophthalmology Registry, the navigator reviews the overdue registry in UChart (Epic), prioritizes outreach according to approved protocols, and contacts overdue patients or the parents or guardians of pediatric patients. Outreach may include calls, MyChart messages, texts, and letters. The navigator schedules reengaged patients for rescue clinic triage or subspecialty care and coordinates diagnostic testing, follows up on missed or cancelled appointments, helps resolve barriers to care, routes reported symptoms and clinical questions to designated clinical staff, and documents outreach and outcomes in UChart. The position also explains consent and HIPAA, obtains signatures, requests outside records, participates in registry and care coordination meetings, reports suspected registry errors and unusual incidents, and assists with clerical duties. Other duties may be assigned as necessary.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent/relevant experience, certification, or license.
At least 1 year of relevant experience.
Ability to learn new procedures, technologies, and protocols and adapt to changing priorities and work demands.
Ability to collaborate with others and contribute to a team environment.
Proficiency with office software, technology, and relevant computer applications.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

Conduct patient evaluations and gather information needed to develop effective treatment plans.
Help patients access insurance and social service programs for which they are eligible.
Provide appointment reminders and act as a liaison between patients and providers.
Identify and resolve actual or perceived barriers to care; educate and counsel patients on health and life-situation issues.
Maintain knowledge of community health, welfare, and other resources available to patients.
Handle patient communications and contact healthcare facilities to obtain medical records.
Address care gaps with the nurse navigator and provide relevant resources to patients, families, or caregivers.
Prepare, track, process, review, and file medical records and pathology specimens; use tracking systems to ensure accurate documentation.
Provide administrative support, including answering phones, directing calls, taking messages, and copying, faxing, emailing, or mailing records while protecting confidentiality.
Review the High-Risk Ophthalmology Overdue Registry daily in UChart (Epic) and prioritize outreach according to the BPEI-approved protocol.
Contact overdue patients, or the parent or guardian of pediatric patients, to explain the importance of follow-up and reengage them in care; supplement calls with MyChart messages, texts, and letters according to the outreach cadence.
Schedule reengaged patients for rescue clinic triage or subspecialty care and coordinate ordered diagnostic testing.
Follow up on no-shows and cancelled appointments, including surgical cases cancelled for non-clinical reasons, and reschedule as appropriate.
Route patient-reported symptoms and clinical questions to designated BPEI clinical staff the same day according to the escalation protocol.
Maintain accurate UChart records of outreach attempts, barriers, and dispositions in accordance with hospital policy.
Explain consent and HIPAA to patients reporting care elsewhere, obtain signatures, and request outside records for provider review.
Participate in BPEI registry review meetings and Care Coordination navigator team meetings.
Report suspected registry errors to the program lead and UHIT Reporting, and report unusual incidents to supervisory personnel in a timely manner.
Maintain confidentiality of patient information and adhere to University and unit-level policies and procedures; safeguard University assets.
Perform other duties as assigned.