Patient Navigation Specialist

Job Title
:
Patient Navigation Specialist 1

Department
:
Medicine | Emergency Medicine

Location
:
Graves Hall (0277)

Position Type
:
Regular

Scheduled Hours
: 40 hours

Shift
:
Varying Shifts

Patient Navigator serves as a Health Promotion Advocate (HPA) in the Emergency Department’s Health Now Program, a population health‑focused program using a systemic approach to address health needs in a proactive way, focusing on patients who may be living with HIV, Hepatitis C, or substance use disorder. HPAs identify and intervene with populations most at risk for health threats and help connect them with community resources to improve outcomes.

Under the direction of the Clinical Manager or Project Leader, and in cooperation with all members of the patient care teams, the Navigator performs a wide range of clinical‑support and administrative functions to fully support the program. This includes interviewing patients to elicit health‑needs history; administering questionnaires in a courteous, professional, and empathetic manner; coordinating point‑of‑care testing; referring patients to appropriate Health Now Program team members for further care;

maintaining patient records and confidentiality; tracking and reporting; and collecting, analyzing, and compiling data for progress reports. The Navigator also supports community‑based clinical research studies, assists in organizing study files, and performs timely, accurate data entry.

The Navigator is responsible for carrying out successful screening of patients presenting to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center facilities (East and Main campus) for various health‑related services such as OUD/SUD, HIV testing, HCV education, harm‑reduction education, naloxone distribution, and addressing non‑clinical barriers to engagement with the health system. Screening uses inclusion and exclusion criteria for participation in clinical services and research studies.

Additionally, the Navigator may work in a variety of settings as necessary to complete work approved by the medical director, stakeholders, and administrators, promoting implementation, system redesign, education, and quality initiatives.

Address patient concerns through active listening and escalating to the care team as needed. Maintain tracking and reporting systems and complete other assigned duties. Work closely with clinical services and linkage teams to ensure referrals are completed and patient needs assessed. Use motivational interviewing, open‑ended questions, and client‑centered counseling to collect information and ensure timely referral to the linkage coordinator or care team.

• Screen patients for various health‑related services.
• Approach patients and explain Health Now program processes/services.
• Complete system‑approved point‑of‑care clinical and confirmatory tests for diagnostic screening and assessment (e.g., rapid HIV test under CLIA waiver with a confirmatory test, risk screening, and discuss test results).
• Refer the patient to the next level of care or linkage services as indicated.

The Navigator supports clinical research by assisting with participant recruitment, eligibility determination, and informed consent. Responsibilities may include collecting and entering patient data into research and EMR systems, maintaining accurate records, and collaborating with research staff.

Minimum Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. Certified Health Worker (CHW) preferred but not required.

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post‑offer process.

The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.

As required by Ohio Revised Code section , Ohio State will: educate students by means of free, open, and rigorous intellectual inquiry to seek the truth; equip students with the opportunity to develop intellectual skills to reach their own, informed conclusions; not require, favor, disfavor or prohibit speech or lawful assembly; create a community dedicated to an ethic of civil and free inquiry that respects the autonomy of each member, supports individual capacities for growth and tolerates differences in opinion;

treat all faculty, staff and students as individuals, hold them to equal standards and provide equality of opportunity with regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.