What are the responsibilities and job description for the Community Health Worker/ Temporary position at Southern New England Healthcare?
SUMMARY OF ROLE:
The Community Health Worker (CHW) is a public health worker who coordinates health care services to patients in the community. The CHW aims to empower patients to meet unmet health needs in a culturally appropriate manner, improve access to services, help to address health inequalities, and improve health outcomes as part of an interdisciplinary Care Management team.
The CHW delivers quality patient-centered care in the ambulatory setting and values the vision and strategies of improving population health to become more accountable for better care, better experiences and reduced healthcare costs for the populations being served.
This role is a temporary position, 40 hours a week to cover a leave of absence.
This role is located at the company's headquarters in Windsor, CT, and operates in a hybrid/remote environment.
Primary Responsibilities:
1. Outreach and Engagement:
- Conducts telephonic, video call, or in-person contact with patients and stakeholders from remote, ambulatory care or community settings (e.g., medical practice).
- Identify and build relationships with patients and their caregivers.
2. Resource Connection and Navigation:
- Perform Social Determinant (or Social Influencer) of Health (SDOH/SIOH) screens
- Coordinate community resources including housing, Meals on Wheels, transportation to medical appointments, town services, senior center programs, chore services, clinical home services, etc.
- Assist patients and/or caregivers to access health services, including scheduling patient appointments, applying for health care insurance, and following up on prescribed medical treatments.
- Serve as a bridge between healthcare providers and patients, helping them navigate the healthcare system and access resources in line with their health goals.
- Refer patients to appropriate community resources for social support, food assistance, housing, or other needs.
3. Health Education and Promotion:
- Coordinate preventive screens and close gaps in care
- Reinforce health education and plan of care goals on topics such as disease prevention and chronic disease management.
- Tailor educational messages to meet the needs and literacy levels of patients.
- Assist clients in understanding and following healthcare provider instructions.
4. Client Support and Advocacy:
- Conduct check-ins via telephone call, video call, or face-to-face in the practice or community setting to provide ongoing support for patients.
- Assist patients in developing healthy behaviors and connecting with support systems.
- Advocate on behalf of patients for their health and social needs.
5. Documentation and Reporting:
- Maintain accurate and confidential records of patient interactions, services provided, and referrals following.
- Track patient progress, outcomes, and follow-up needs.
- Provide regular reports on program activities, trends, and challenges to the supervisor.
- Mail patient educational materials and letters.
6. Collaboration and Teamwork:
- Work collaboratively with various stakeholders including healthcare providers, social service agencies, payors, and community organizations.
- Participate in team meetings, training sessions, and professional development activities as required.
- Cultivate positive relationships and share community insights with healthcare team to enhance service delivery and address health disparities.
Other Responsibilities:
- Performs other duties as assigned.
The duties listed above are intended only as illustrative of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar or a logical assignment to the position.
Education:
- High school diploma or equivalent required. Associate degree or equivalent medical experience preferred.
- Community Health Work Certification with State of Connecticut and/or State of Massachusetts preferred.
- Additional training or certification in health education, public health, or social work is a plus.
- Knowledge of Medicare benefit plans and local community resources is a plus.
- Bilingual in Spanish preferred.
Experience:
- Minimum three years of experience within a healthcare related organization preferred (e.g., health system, hospital, clinic, provider practice, health insurance company, pharmaceutical company, etc.).
- Basic knowledge and experience using Microsoft 365- Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams
- Basic knowledge and experience using electronic medical records (EMRs) and other applications such as athena, EpicCare Link, and Bamboo Health.
Skills:
- Excellent organizational skills required, effectively utilizing all resources available.
- Ability to work independently and manage time effectively in fast-paced environment.
- Empathy, patience, and a genuine desire to help community members.
- Familiarity with Healthy People 2030 Health Equity goals
- Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to colleagues and stakeholders.
- Practices a working knowledge of applicable Federal, State, and local laws and regulations, Standards of Conduct, as well as other policies and procedures to ensure adherence in a manner that reflects honest, ethical, and professional behavior.
- Adaptable to unscheduled situations while effectively managing assignments with attention-to-detail, accuracy and follow through, with minimal supervision.
- Maintains confidentiality with patient information as per HIPAA guidelines.
- Ability to perform job with integrity and values consistent with the organization’s Mission, Core Values and Standards.
- Ability to travel to medical practices, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, patient homes, and other sites where patients receive care as indicated by patient needs.
- Strong interpersonal communication skills, with Motivational Interviewing skills and certification a plus.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:
The Physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Frequently required to maintain a stationary position and move or traverse.
- Ability to transport and/or maneuver objects weighing up to 20 pounds.
- Busy work environment subject to frequent interruptions and shifting potentially conflicting priorities.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- As a condition of employment at SoNE Health, all employees must reside in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, or Massachusetts.
- For the safety and well-being of our employees, all employees are required to be fully vaccinated for influenza.
- If you will be working in a remote or hybrid capacity, we require a stable internet connection. We recommend that you have an internet service provider with speeds of at least 30Mbps download/5Mbps upload.
ADHERENCE TO THE SoNE HEALTH CODE OF CONDUCT:
Code of Conduct: Employee will understand and follow the guidelines and standards outlined in the SoNE HEALTH Code of Conduct and demonstrate an understanding of the SoNE HEALTH Mission, Vision and Core Values.- Policies and Procedures: Employee will comply with all SoNE HEALTH policies and procedures relevant to their role, including those related to compliance, safety and confidentiality.
- Regulatory Requirements: Employee will ensure actions and behaviors are in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, professional standards, policies, procedures and the Code of Conduct.
