Patient Engagement Specialist – Pittsburg, Columbus and Coffeyville

POSITION: Patient Engagement Specialist

DEPARTMENT: Patient Engagement

REPORTS TO:  Director of Patient Engagement

DIRECT REPORTS: None

FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt

Grant: COPE

CORE VALUES

The core values of Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Inc. (CHC/SEK) are dignity and stewardship.  Each staff member is expected to perform their job duties in a way that preserves dignity for our patients and maintains good stewardship of CHC/SEK’s resources.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The Patient Engagement Specialists (PESs) at CHC/SEK are motivated and passionate about improving health outcomes while serving their community. This position functions as a Community Health Worker (CHW) with the CHC/SEK Community Health Action Team (CHAT) in collaboration with the Communities Organizing to Promote Equity (COPE) project, facilitated by The University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) Department of Family Medicine.  This position is secured for a minimum of two (2) years through a grant from the CDC/KDHE entitled, “National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities.” At that time, staff may need to apply for a different position within CHC/SEK.  

The overall goal of the Patient Engagement department is to engage high-risk, underserved populations and work to decrease the impact of exacerbations on health status and accelerate recovery through targeted care management. Often staff go above and beyond to provide support in nontraditional settings such as patient homes, neighborhoods, and communities. This position will dedicate approximately 80% of work out in the community and 20% office work. Patient Engagement staff are flexible, knowledgeable about disease processes, community resources and CHC/SEK care systems, and able to address barriers to improved health outcomes.  They strive to understand, motivate, and help our patients achieve their goals in health and wellness by building rapport, eliminating barriers, collaborating with patients to set goals, and working within a multidisciplinary care team.

Employees can be based out of Pittsburg, Columbus, Fort Scott or Parsons.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

  1. Engage high-risk, underserved populations, and work to decrease the impact of exacerbations on health status and accelerate recovery through targeted care management.
  2. Meet patients, and community members in the home, clinic, or community setting and conduct needs assessments, and screenings, including identification of socio-economic issues that affect their overall health.
  3. Assess the patients’ unmet health and social needs to connect with community and organizational resources, including clear guidance about why and how to access these resources.
  4. Participate in a local health equity action team (LHEAT) to engage community partners developing new Covid-19 vaccination and testing strategies to reach the most vulnerable community members.
  5. Participate in regular team meetings, both online and in-person, to carry out action items from LHEAT priority agenda.
  6. Complete required training and professional development courses, including the Community Health Worker Education Program hosted by the Kansas Community Health Worker Coalition.
  7. Work collaboratively, respectfully, and effectively with project leadership and all Patient Engagement staff.
  8. Build trusting relationships and follow up with patients about their health via phone calls, home visits, and visits to other settings as needed, serving as a liaison between the community and the health care system.
  9. Build and maintain positive, supportive working relationships with community-based organizations to improve vaccination and testing uptake (e.g. faith-based organizations, small businesses, schools, community agencies).
  10. Assist with assigned outreach activities such as attending health fairs, or attending other COVID testing and vaccination outreach events, including set-up, day of testing support, delivery of wellness packages to food insecure individuals as directed.
  11. Update community resource database as it relates to community strengths and opportunities in conjunction with LHEAT, focusing inventory on vaccination and testing resources.
  12. Contribute to and utilize data to achieve program goals, improve health outcomes, and advance community health indicators.
  13. Work to address health disparities for vulnerable populations by looking to innovative workflows and processes or contributing to operational changes.
  14. Practice cultural humility, avoid making assumptions about the knowledge, behaviors, or values of patients, working to transfer power to patient through self-management skills.
  15. Work from a strength-based perspective to emphasize a patients internal and external resources.
  16. Perform other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

  1. Seeking CNA, RN, LPN, BSW, EMT, CHES, Public Health, Community and Family Services, Health Coach, Case Management, or Social Work experience and/or education.
  2. Fluent in English and Spanish preferred.
  3. Valid Driver’s License. Must not have more than two (2) moving violations in the past three (3) years.
  4. Must possess Basic Life Support certification upon hire or within six (6) months of date of hire.
  5. Other required training must be completed within six (6) months from date of hire and on an annual basis. Training includes, but is not limited to CTAA Pass Basic, Defensive Driving and Wheelchair Securement.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

  1. Social and cultural sensitivity appropriate to ethnically and economically diverse patient-and employee-base.
  2. Demonstrate knowledge of the rationale of appropriate patient care.
  3. Must be organized and able to manage/prioritize tasks to meet deadlines, adapts to change in a positive manner, able to work as a part of a team.
  4. Communicates through appropriate channels. Use proper chain of command for patient complaints.
  5. Ability to handle emergency situations calmly and effectively.
  6. Must be computer literate, especially with Microsoft Office products and be proficient with the Electronic Health Record software.
  7. Must be able to maintain good inter-personal relationship with co-workers and other members of the health care team and the organization.
  8. Provide customer service in accordance to the organization’s mission.
  9. Be courteous and respectful when interacting with patients and family members.
  10. Maintain patient confidentiality in accordance to organization’s policy and procedure and HIPAA requirements.

WORKING CONDITIONS

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk.  The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Travel is required throughout the service area.

Apply Now