Healthcare Navigator - Co-Op - Starts January 2027

Beth Israel Lahey Health•Boston, MA

2d•Remote

About The Position

The Population Health Navigator (PHN) is a six-month temporary Co-Op position running from January 4, 2027, through June 25, 2027. The PHN collaborates with primary care practice teams and population health team members to improve care for patients with hypertension or diabetes and patients who are due for cancer screenings. The role focuses on optimizing patients’ health, well-being, and preventive care. It is primarily remote, with occasional in-person work depending on program or practice needs. The PHN contacts patients by phone, patient portal, mail, and other electronic modalities to provide education, understand barriers to care, and arrange follow-up primary care visits, cancer screenings, and preventive tests. Working with the population health and practice teams, the PHN supports chronic disease and screening registries, pre-visit planning, reminders, and post-visit testing and referrals. The position also involves learning HEDIS ambulatory quality measures and sharing relevant information and improvement opportunities with practice teams. The role requires a high school diploma or GED, enrollment in a college-level program in a related field, and 0–1 years of related work experience. The PHN must have basic computer familiarity and be able to navigate web-based applications. Strong communication, customer service, organizational, problem-solving, and analytical skills are valued. Training will be provided for applicable electronic systems, including patient registries and the electronic health record. Familiarity with HIPAA is required, and the employee must comply with privacy and security standards for protected health information. Staff are required to be vaccinated against influenza as a condition of employment.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Enrolled in a college-level program in a related field.
0–1 years of related work experience.
Basic familiarity with computers and ability to navigate web-based applications.
Strong interpersonal and customer service skills for communicating with patients, family members, physicians, and other healthcare providers.
Willingness to learn medical terminology, medical recommendations, chronic conditions, cancers, and associated screening methods.
Ability, after training, to use applicable electronic systems, including a patient registry and electronic health record.
Critical thinking and good judgment.
Good organizational skills.
Familiarity with HIPAA regulations and consistent adherence to privacy and security standards for protected health information.

Nice To Haves

Strong problem-solving and analytical skills to identify areas of opportunity.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel.

Responsibilities

Integrate with primary care practices and the BILHPN Performance team to engage patients regarding hypertension, diabetes, and cancer screenings.
Learn HEDIS ambulatory quality measures and communicate relevant information to practice teams.
Partner with the BILHPN Population Health Specialist to support registries for patients with hypertension or diabetes and patients due for breast, colon, or cervical cancer screening.
Help ensure patients receive required testing and medication management to promote optimal health and clinical outcomes.
Assist with pre-visit planning, visit reminders, day-of-visit processes, and subsequent tests and referrals.
Collaborate with practices and providers to contact patients by phone, mail, or electronic messaging to schedule appointments, screenings, and preventive tests.
Provide an effective communication link between patients and the practice team.
Identify and communicate best-practice opportunities to practice leaders, clinicians, and team members to improve performance.
Participate in team meetings and decisions about data requirements for proactively managing the team’s patient panel.
Support additional duties as needed for program or organizational priorities.