Connection Specialist

Help patients leave the hospital ready for what comes next. As a Connection Specialist at Patient Engagement Advisors (PEA), you’ll work alongside the care team at Nathan Littauer Hospital to make sure patients understand their discharge plan and have the medications, follow-up appointments, nutrition, transportation and assistance programs they need to succeed after their stay. You’ll connect with patients face-to-face at the bedside, by phone and remotely. You’ll also coordinate the secure delivery of medications, nutrition kits and other care items within the hospital, to patients’ homes or to another hand-off location. We’re looking for someone who leads with empathy, works well on a team, and is committed to getting to “know the patient.”

• Job Title: Connection Specialist
• Work Location: Hybrid: rotating between remote and onsite at Nathan Littauer Hospital, Gloversville, NY 12078
• Pay Range: $19.85 - $21.85 per hour
• Status: Full-time, non-exempt (eligible for overtime)
• Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM; occasional evenings, weekends, and holidays as business needs require

What you’ll do: Patient engagement and care coordination

• Meet with patients during and after their hospital stay, explain PEA services, and obtain their permission to be served.
• Offer services based on each patient’s needs: scheduled appointments, transportation, nutrition, medications and products.
• Educate patients on discharge requirements, including medications, follow-up care, nutrition and assistance programs.
• Collect and document social determinants of health information in the Patient Navigation System (PNS) and other applications.
• Use coupons, vouchers, discount cards and community partnerships to lower patients’ costs.
• Join hospital rounds and huddles, in person or virtually, as part of the clinical care team.
• Follow up by phone with patients who were missed during their stay.
• Collect payments according to PEA policy.
• Meet daily productivity and KPI goals set by site and PEA leadership.

Medication and supply delivery

• Securely deliver prescriptions, nutrition kits and medical supplies accurately and on time.
• Handle and store medications and supplies properly, and obtain a signature at hand-off.
• Work with prescribers and pharmacists to make medications affordable and deliver them per standard procedures.

Compliance and training

• Protect patient health information (PHI) and follow all PEA and hospital privacy and security policies, onsite and remote.
• Complete required PEA and health system training.

This list is representative, not exhaustive; other related duties may be assigned.

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• At least 18 years of age.
• At least 6 months of healthcare experience, such as Pharmacy Technician, Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Patient Care Coordinator, Clinic Front Desk Associate, Nursing Assistant or a related role. An associate or bachelor’s degree may be considered in place of healthcare experience.
• Customer service experience in a patient-facing or healthcare setting.
• Experience documenting in an electronic health record (EHR) or similar system.
• Intermediate computer skills, including web-based tools, point-of-sale, pharmacy and clinical/EMR systems, and iPad applications.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to manage multiple patients and systems accurately in a fast-paced setting.

Preferred

• Retail or clinical pharmacy experience.
• Remote patient support or healthcare call center experience.
• Clinic or physician office experience.

This is a hybrid role that rotates between remote work and onsite work at Nathan Littauer Hospital in Gloversville, NY. PEA sets the rotation based on business needs, and you may be asked to support onsite operations on remote days. Occasional evenings, weekends, holidays and inclement-weather shifts may be required. Onsite

• Frequent standing and walking throughout the hospital, including stairs, for 8-10 hours per day.
• Possible exposure to communicable diseases; you’ll follow required protection protocols.
• Vaccinations as required by PEA or the hospital, unless an exemption or reasonable accommodation is approved.

Remote

• Sitting for 8-10 hours per day, with phone calls and data entry.
• Reliable internet through a private, password-protected network (public networks may not be used).
• A private, secure workspace where others cannot see or hear patient information.

Deliveries are made on foot, by internal hospital transport, courier or other non-driving means. Driving is not a requirement of this role, though occasional driving may be requested depending on operational needs. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job. Compensation and equal opportunity: Pay range: $19.85 - $21.85 per hour. This is the range PEA in good faith expects to pay for this position at the time of posting. Final pay within the range depends on factors such as relevant experience, skills and qualifications. This position is non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay. Benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Flexible spending account (FSA)
• Paid time off, including New York State Paid Sick Leave, Paid Prenatal Leave, and Paid Family Leave