Patient Navigator Job Description
A patient navigator is a healthcare professional who guides patients through the healthcare process. They are responsible for ensuring that the healthcare system meets the needs of the patient as best as possible. To that end, patient navigators spend their time communicating with patients and their families. They talk to patients about their options, what to expect during the treatment process, and what their recovery process will be like.
It’s important that patient navigators are able to help patients overcome the obstacles that they may encounter while pursuing treatment. This means that employees in this role need to be highly knowledgeable of healthcare systems and what can be done to ensure they provide better care to individual patients. To qualify for this role, an employee typically only needs a high school diploma. However, a bachelor’s degree or a relevant certification can help make their application more attractive.
Patient Navigator Job Description Template
Our hospital is looking to add a skilled patient navigator to its team. In this position, it will be your job to guide our patients through the healthcare process. That means taking the time to get to know them and understand their goals. After that, you will educate patients on their healthcare options, explain the pros and cons of various treatments, and ensure that they have a good understanding of what their care process is going to look like.
To do well in this role, it’s critical that you’re able to answer patients’ questions as they arise. This means you must have a strong understanding of healthcare systems and how they function. You should also be a compassionate, positive individual who is capable of inspiring confidence in the patients you work with. If you think that you would do well in such a role, then we’d love to hear from you.
Patient Navigator Responsibilities:
- Ensure that patients are fully informed about their legal rights
- Teach patients about their care options and make specific recommendations based on their goals
- Help patients and their families navigate the process of using insurance to pay for care
- Review paperwork for patients to ensure it meets all requirements
- Explain test results, diagnoses, and other medical outcomes to the patients affected by them
- Perform related tasks to make it easier for patients to receive the best possible health care at our hospital
Patient Navigator Requirements:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- BCPA Certification and a bachelor’s degree in a healthcare-related field is preferred
- In-depth knowledge of the inner-workings of the healthcare system
- Compassionate attitude, professional demeanor
- Willingness and ability to support a diverse population of patients
Patient Navigator FAQ
What tasks does a patient navigator do?
Patient navigators perform tasks that help patients receive better care from hospitals. They do things like explain treatments to patients, review forms, and explain test results. Patient navigators also inform patients of their legal rights and answer the questions that they may have throughout the course of care, among other things.
What should I include in my patient navigator help-wanted ads?
We recommend that you follow the same general outline that we’ve used in our patient navigator job description template. You should start with a few paragraphs that highlight the most important aspects of the job. Then, get more specific with lists that showcase the detailed responsibilities and requirements of the position.
Can I use your patient navigator job description template?
You can absolutely use our patient navigator job description template as a starting point for your own. We do, however, recommend that you add the information about your position that makes it unique. Doing so will help you distinguish your job from others that applicants may be considering.
