Patient Advocate Navigator
Bachelor's
$26 - $30 USD hourly
Benefits:
- Flexible spending account (FSA)
- Floating holidays
- Paid holidays
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Free uniforms
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Training & development
- Vision insurance
The Patient Advocate Navigator is the dedicated, non-clinical point of contact for patients in our Radiation Oncology and Urology departments in Brooklyn, NY. The role helps patients and families move through referral, consultation, treatment and follow-up with as few delays and barriers as possible, and makes sure every patient feels informed, supported and heard.
The Navigator tracks each patient’s open administrative tasks, including scheduling, prior authorizations, records, insurance and transportation, and follows through with the responsible team members so nothing falls through the cracks. They identify and help resolve barriers to care such as cost, coverage, language, transportation and scheduling conflicts, and connect patients to financial, social and community resources.
The Navigator does not give medical advice and routes all clinical questions to the appropriate nurse, medical assistant or provider. The ideal candidate has experience in a patient-facing healthcare role, strong EMR and organizational skills, and a calm, compassionate, patient-centered approach.
Key responsibilities
Patient navigation and advocacy
- Serve as the main point of contact for patients who are newly diagnosed, newly referred or starting treatment, guiding them from referral and consultation through simulation, treatment and follow-up.
- Meet with new patients (in person or by phone) to explain what to expect, introduce the care team and help them understand the steps ahead.
- Identify barriers to care, such as financial hardship, insurance gaps, transportation, language, caregiving or work conflicts, and work with the patient and care team to resolve them.
- Advocate for patients’ needs and preferences with the care team, and make sure patient concerns are heard and addressed promptly.
- Connect patients and families with support resources, including social work, financial counseling, copay and manufacturer assistance programs, support groups and community organizations.
- Arrange interpreter services when needed so patients can communicate fully with their care team.
Care coordination and follow-through
- Track open patient tasks across both departments (referrals, prior authorizations, records requests, scheduling, callbacks and outside appointments) and confirm each is completed on time by the responsible team member.
- Identify gaps in coordination, such as missed follow-ups, unscheduled imaging or treatments, pending results and expired authorizations, and escalate to the appropriate provider, nurse, MA or front-desk staff.
- Make sure required outside records, imaging reports, pathology and imaging CDs are requested and in the chart before each consultation or treatment.
- Coordinate with referring physicians, hospitals, imaging centers and labs; fax consult letters, follow-up notes and visit summaries to referring providers.
- Take part in daily huddles to review the schedule, outstanding tasks and patients who need follow-up or extra support.
Scheduling, authorizations and insurance
- Schedule and confirm consultations, simulations, treatments, procedures, imaging and follow-up visits, and coordinate around patients’ needs and other appointments.
- Request prior authorizations for imaging, procedures and treatments, and track them to approval.
- Verify insurance coverage regularly, particularly for patients actively undergoing treatment, and alert patients and staff to coverage changes early.
- Help patients understand their benefits, expected costs and billing questions, and refer them to financial counseling or billing staff as needed.
- Register new patients and obtain, scan and upload medical records, IDs and insurance cards into the EMR.
- Keep providers informed of reschedules, no-shows and add-ons, and coordinate with the front desk on scheduling.
Patient communication and support
- Communicate appointment details and pre-visit instructions as written by the care team, and send reminders and confirmations through Weave.
- Return patient calls and messages, and route clinical questions, symptoms and medication or refill requests to the appropriate nurse, MA or provider without delay.
- Coordinate transportation with patients’ insurance and/or rideshare services so patients arrive on time for visits and daily treatments.
- Check in with patients during and after treatment to make sure their needs are being met, and follow up on missed appointments.
- Support patients and families with compassion and professionalism, and help resolve complaints and concerns, escalating to the Practice Manager when needed.
Documentation and compliance
- Document patient contacts, barriers identified, resources provided and follow-up actions accurately and on time in Aria (Radiation Oncology) and DrChrono (Urology).
- Prepare and send medical records upon receipt of a signed release of information.
- Protect patient privacy and follow HIPAA and practice policies at all times, and flag issues to the Practice Manager.
- Gather patient feedback and suggest improvements to navigation workflows and the patient experience.
Qualifications
Required
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- 2–3 years in a patient-facing healthcare role, such as patient care coordinator, patient access, front desk or patient services, including scheduling, insurance verification or prior authorizations.
- Strong EMR and Microsoft Office skills.
- Working knowledge of health insurance, including commercial plans, Medicare and Medicaid.
- No clinical license or certification is required.
Preferred
- Bilingual in Spanish or Russian (highly preferred).
- Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in health administration, public health, social work or a related field.
- Experience in oncology, radiation oncology, urology or another specialty practice.
- Hands-on experience with Aria and/or DrChrono.
- Patient navigation training or certificate (a plus, not required).
- Familiarity with financial assistance programs and community resources in Brooklyn and New York City.
Skills
- Strong follow-through: tracks open items to completion and escalates early when something is at risk of falling through.
- Clear, compassionate communication with patients, families, providers and outside offices, including explaining complex processes in plain language.
- A natural advocate who is persistent and resourceful in solving problems on patients’ behalf.
- Strong organization, time management and ability to prioritize in a fast-paced, multi-provider clinic.
- Attention to detail in documentation, authorizations and patient privacy.
- Ability to stay calm, empathetic and professional with patients facing a serious diagnosis or high-stress situations.
- Sound judgment in recognizing when a question is clinical and routing it to the right team member.
- Ability to work independently and collaborate as part of a team.