Surgical Navigator

Location: Stroger Hospital

Department: SURGERY

Title: Surgical Navigator

This position is exempt from Career Service under the CCH Personnel Rules.

Job Summary

The Surgical Navigator is part of a multidisciplinary team and primary conduit for communication between providers, patients, and families. The Surgical Navigator is responsible for completing referrals for pre-operative testing and evaluation, supporting Surgical Division with pre-visit planning, pre-authorization for procedures and in clinic support ensuring access to surgical specialty clinics. This position provides a concierge level customer service to patients and referring providers, providing relevant information to understand the complete surgical process across the continuum of care and communicating with the care team.

Typical Duties

• Manages all communications with referring providers regarding access and availability of surgical specialty appointments

• Provides assistance to patients with pre-visit planning, throughput during clinic visit with obtaining any relevant history, completing relevant forms.

• Assists with clerical and administrative duties such as calling patients to ensure appropriateness of referral to the correct surgical specialty. Verifies that any necessary documentation is completed prior to visit with Health Insurance Carriers, benefits, and prior authorization.

• Facilitates and coordinates care from outpatient to inpatient across the care continuum and communicates directly with the family and care providers relevant clinical information to ensure safe follow-up.

• Coordinates the completion of diagnostic imaging and appointments to ensure pre-operative work up is completed by the patient prior to scheduled procedure.

• Assess patients for social barriers that may limit successful clinical outcomes.

• Assists surgeon with minor in-office procedures and treatments

• Maintains an accurate and complete medication list for patients in the electronic medical record.

• Supports the provider staff with completing referrals for diagnostic testing and specialist following the providers' order.

• Ensures procedure equipment is appropriately sterilized at site or prepares equipment for transfer to another location for sterilization.

• Performs any required perioperative testing for upcoming procedure.

• Assists with transportation services as necessary to ensure the patients ability to attend appointments as needed.

• Performs accurate and detailed clinical documentation including plan of care and follow-up.

• Attends and participates in meetings. Addresses any continuity of care concerns.

The Surgical Navigator is part of a multidisciplinary team and primary conduit for communication between providers, patients, and families. The Surgical Navigator is responsible for completing referrals for pre-operative testing and evaluation, supporting Surgical Division with pre-visit planning, pre-authorization for procedures and in clinic support ensuring access to surgical specialty clinics. This position provides a concierge level customer service to patients and referring providers, providing relevant information to understand the complete surgical process across the continuum of care and communicating with the care team.

Typical Duties

• Manages all communications with referring providers regarding access and availability of surgical specialty appointments

• Provides assistance to patients with pre-visit planning, throughput during clinic visit with obtaining any relevant history, completing relevant forms.

• Assists with clerical and administrative duties such as calling patients to ensure appropriateness of referral to the correct surgical specialty. Verifies that any necessary documentation is completed prior to visit with Health Insurance Carriers, benefits, and prior authorization.

• Facilitates and coordinates care from outpatient to inpatient across the care continuum and communicates directly with the family and care providers relevant clinical information to ensure safe follow-up.

• Coordinates the completion of diagnostic imaging and appointments to ensure pre-operative work up is completed by the patient prior to scheduled procedure.

• Assess patients for social barriers that may limit successful clinical outcomes.

• Assists surgeon with minor in-office procedures and treatments

• Maintains an accurate and complete medication list for patients in the electronic medical record.

• Supports the provider staff with completing referrals for diagnostic testing and specialist following the providers' order.

• Ensures procedure equipment is appropriately sterilized at site or prepares equipment for transfer to another location for sterilization.

• Performs any required perioperative testing for upcoming procedure.

• Assists with transportation services as necessary to ensure the patients ability to attend appointments as needed.

• Performs accurate and detailed clinical documentation including plan of care and follow-up.

• Attends and participates in meetings. Addresses any continuity of care concerns.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with one (1) year of experience with patient navigation in a clinical setting, including scheduling appointments, connecting patients to community resources and/or taking patients through various steps of disease treatment (MUST PROVIDE OFFICAL TRANSCRIPT AT TIME OF INTERVIEW) OR High School diploma or GED with three (3) years of experience in patient navigation, including scheduling appointments, connecting patients to community resources and/or taking patients through various steps of disease treatment, is required.(MUST PROVIDE PROOF AT TIME OF INTERVIEW)
• Must be certified in one (1) of the following areas: .(MUST PROVIDE PROOF AT TIME OF INTERVIEW)

o Certified as a Medical Assistant through the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) or Certified as a Registered Medical Assistant

o Certified Ophthalmic Technician (COT) by the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO)

o Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

• Three (3) years of experience as a Medical Assistant, Ophthalmology Technician and/or Certified Nursing Assistant.

• Position requires travel at CCH site to support surgical services for which the employee must possess a valid driver's license and insured vehicle or otherwise provide an acceptable and reliable means of transportation, is required. (MUST PROVIDE PROOF AT TIME OF INTERVIEW)

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience working with a culturally diverse population, (Is preferred.)
• Bilingual, (Is preferred.)

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics

• Proficient use of the electronic medical record, necessary to accomplish all aspects of this job • Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills necessary to interact with a variety of people from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds as well as hospital employees across all levels of the organization

• Strong customer service and empathy skills

• Demonstrate analytical and organizational, problem-solving, critical thinking, and conflict management/resolution skills

• Demonstrate attention to detail, accuracy and precision

• Demonstrated care coordination skills and in providing supportive care options to patients and their families

• Ability to prioritize, plan, and organize projects and tasks

• Ability to maintain a professional demeanor and composure when challenged

• Ability to function autonomously and work within a self-directed environment, with an ability to also work with and lead teams in a multidisciplinary environment

• Ability to lead performance improvement initiatives and present to relevant committees on outcomes of their work with patients including improving quality of care.

• Ability to demonstrate willingness to cross train to help clinical and administrative staff in the clinics

• Ability to maintain knowledge of all surgery policies and procedures and adhere to them.

• Ability to assure compliance with policies and procedures, standards of performance and productivity, quality standards, environmental and infection control and other regulatory requirements.

Physical and Environmental Demands

This position is functioning within a healthcare environment. The incumbent is responsible for adherence to all hospital and department specific safety requirements. This includes but is not limited to the following policies and procedures: complying with Personal Protective Equipment requirements, hand washing and sanitizing practices, complying with department specific engineering and work practice controls and any other work area safety precautions as specified by hospital wide policy and departmental procedures.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of the personnel so classified.

For purposes of the American with Disabilities Act, "Typical Duties" are essential job functions.

VETERAN PREFERENCE

PLEASE READ

When applying for employment with the Cook County Health & Hospitals System, preference is given to honorably discharged Veterans who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States for not less than 6 months of continuous service.

To take advantage of this preference a Veteran must:

• Meet the minimum qualifications for the position.

• Identify self as a Veteran on the employment application by answering yes to the question by answering yes to the question, "Are you a Military Veteran?"

• Attach a copy of their DD 214, DD 215 or NGB 22 (Notice of Separation at time of application filing. Please note: If you have multiple DD214s, 215s, or NGB 22S, Please submit the one with the latest date. Coast Guard must submit a certified copy of the military separation from either the Department of Transportation (Before 9/11) or the Department of Homeland Security (After 9/11). Discharge papers must list an Honorable Discharge Status. Discharge papers not listing an Honorable Discharge Status are not acceptable.

OR

A copy of a valid State ID Card or Driver's License which identifies the holder of the ID as a Veteran, may also be attached to the application at time of filing.

If items are not attached, you will not be eligible for Veteran Preference

VETERANS MUST PROVIDE ORIGINAL APPLICABLE DISCHARGE PAPERS OR APPLICABLE STATE ID CARD OR DRIVER'S LICENSE AT TIME OF INTERVIEW

MUST MEET REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AT TIME OF APPLICATION

• Degrees awarded outside the United States with the exception of those awarded in one of the United States' territories and Canada must be credentialed by an approved U.S. credential evaluation service belonging to the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE). Original credentialing documents must be presented at time of interview.

• Please note all offers of Employment are contingent upon the following conditions: satisfactory professional & employment references, healthcare and criminal background checks, appropriate licensure/certifications and the successful completion of a physical and pre-employment drug screen.

• CCHHS is strictly prohibited from conditioning, basing or knowingly prejudicing or affecting any term or aspect of County employment or hiring upon or because of any political reason or factor.

COOK COUNTY HEALTH AND HOSPITALS SYSTEM IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER