Patient Naviagtor

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Join Team Tidelands and help people live better lives through better health!

Patient Navigator (Cancer Treatment)
Are you passionate about quality and committed to excellence? Consider joining our Tidelands Health team. As our region's largest health care provider, we are also one of our area's largest employers. More than 2,500 team members at more than 70 Tidelands Health locations bring our healing mission to life each day.

A Brief Overview
The goal of the Tidelands Health's Cancer Center Patient Navigator (PN) is to navigate newly diagnosed cancer patients from the surrounding communities to receive timely, patient-centered care at the TH Cancer Center Network. The PN will engage patients, create a trusting relationship, navigate patients to their TH Cancer Center appointments, and closely communicate with a patient's entire care team based on clearly outlined goals and identified patient needs. The PN will aid patients in the coordination and completion of appointments inside the TH Cancer Center and help decrease barriers to timely cancer care and treatment and to increase access to high quality cancer care for underserved patients. As it is extremely important to identify and address supportive care needs starting at cancer diagnosis, the PN will be assisting in administering supportive care services surveys to all assigned patients, which will help inform the navigator about the patients' symptom burden, illness perception, financial distress, and self-efficacy and direct future navigation and care coordination efforts. The navigator's interventions might include education, appointment reminders, help with insurance, transportation, navigating the Cancer Center, assisting in finding appropriate childcare, interpreting, connecting the patient to psychosocial and/or palliative care teams, and directing the patient to appointments. The PN will incorporate 1) screening for a history of severe mental illness and risk factors for disruptions in cancer care at cancer diagnosis, 2) screening and monitoring for distress, and 3) streamlining referral/early consultation of social work, psychiatry, and palliative care. The PN will be a patient liaison with oncology and primary care team ensuring open lines of communication between the two teams. The PN will also be involved in other activities that are related to this program, as needed.

What you will do

• Contact patients over the phone prior to first appointment to introduce and provide consistent contact calls to assure patients’ comfort

• Work with patients, providers, and TH Cancer Center care team to set goals for patient’s care and document.

• Provide navigation for patients by addressing any logistic barriers, scheduling complications, childcare needs, etc., that would prevent a patient from showing up at their appointment.

• Address any relevant insurance concerns or issues by connecting patients with appropriate financial resources and team members.

• Assist patient in connecting with necessary supportive care services, psychosocial and palliative care, and social work.

• Provide education about care plan, anticipated side effects and cancer clinical trials and when appropriate, assist patient in connecting with care team about available services and resources to support participation.

• Maintain regular communication with the patient’s providers through EMR notes messages via emails, phone calls and case review meetings.

• Refer to internal or external case management services when other issues are identified (i.e. hunger issues, domestic violence issues, etc.)

• Provide advocacy, patient education and support in accessing community-based and hospital-based programs.

• Document every intervention into the appropriate electronic medical record

Education Qualifications

• ADN Required

• BSN Preferred

Experience Qualifications

• At least one (1) year of professional experience in an oncology setting Required

• Previous experience working with culturally diverse populations Required

• Able to establish strong working relationships within the medical community Required

• 1 year of previous chemotherapy experience Preferred

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to remains composed under stress, handles self in professional manner at all times and takes personal responsibility for delivering on personal and organizational commitments.

• Must be able to respond to changing circumstances and priorities in a focused manner.

• Must be able to work independently with minimum direction.

• Demonstration of proficient communication skills, both oral and written.

• Demonstration of basic PC skills and knowledge of Windows and Microsoft office programs.

• Must be able to coordinate and implement multiple responsibilities, projects and priorities. Must be able to work collaboratively with GHS and non-GHS Cancer Services.

• Ability to utilize available technology to perform position responsibilities.

• Ability to manage resources effectively and efficiently.

• Applies and follows Georgetown Hospital System policies and procedures.

• Strong understanding of community resources for oncology patients

• Possess strong working knowledge of Oncology Programs

Licenses and Certifications

• Registered Nurse - South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Current RN license with South Carolina LLR in good standing Required

• Oncology Certified Nurse - Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation or must become OCN credentialed within 24 months of hire date Required

• Basic Life Support Certified - American Heart Association
  within 30 Days Required

• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support Certified - American Heart Association Preferred

Physical Demand
Light Physical Demand
The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a contract for employment nor a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Tidelands Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Tidelands Health is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). Tidelands Health does not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, gender, genetic information, familial status, or any other legally protected status.