Patient Navigation Specialist - Chicago

Position: Patient Navigation Specialist

Reports to: Patient Navigation Manager

Direct Reports: None

Professional Level: Administrative / Clinical Support

Classification: Full-time, non-exempt (hourly)

Compensation Range: $23-28 per hour (bilingual candidates will receive a pay differential)

Location: Chicago, Illinois

Benefits

Benefits include: health, dental, vision, AD&D and life insurance plan options with premiums paid 100% by employer; paid time off, sick time, family leave, a yearly wellness stipend, 1 week of paid restoration at the end of each year, eligibility for 401K after 1 year of employment.

Job Summary

The Patient Navigation Specialist works directly under the Patient Navigation Manager to support and triage the needs of psychosocially complex patients at Hope Chicago, including but not limited to providing grief support, social needs navigation, and crisis intervention.

This position collaborates closely with the Clinic Manager, as well as the clinical managerial team (Supervising Nurse, Supervising PCA, and Chief Medical Officer) on site in Chicago. They will also receive remote support from the Director of Psychosocial Services (a Licensed Clinical Social Worker), based at our downstate location. In collaboration with the entire team, the Patient Navigation Specialist helps ensure that all patients we serve have a compassionate and supportive experience with Hope Clinic. This position is critical to providing excellent patient care. Hope Clinic's mission is to advance the human right to autonomy through the provision of the highest quality medical and emotional abortion care.

Duties and Responsibilities

Patient Support

• Support complex patients seeking care with Hope Clinic through facilitating individualized patient care that is person-centered, trauma-informed, culturally-humble, and evidence-based.
• Maintain a caseload of patients with unique circumstances (e.g. IPV, housing instability, grief support) for pre-screening, follow-up, and wrap-around services.
• Provide pregnancy options counseling and support team approach to abortion counseling to ambivalent patients.
• Engage with patients in crisis and provide crisis intervention support during regular business hours; this is not an on-call position
• Promote positive patient outcomes through collaboration with the clinical team, serving as a patient advocate both internally and externally.
• Supports memorialization, post procedure viewings, and funeral home coordination.
• Coordinate patient extended leave and employer required leave paperwork
• Attend regularly scheduled meetings with the Director of Psychosocial Services for guidance re: psychosocial service provision and patient-support related needs.
• Make direct referrals to licensed social workers for support, as appropriate.

Operational and Staff Support

• Assist the Clinic Manager and Patient Navigation Manager with patient scheduling and referrals both into and out of the clinic.

• As needed, act as cashier and process patient payments in collaboration with the Patient Navigation Manager.

• Update and maintain educational and supportive materials.

• Engage and collaborate with research entities to expand research capacity

• Supervise coordination of site visits and communications with IRBs, study monitors, investigators, etc.

• Collaborate with Chief Medical Officer and Chief Operating Officer on research projects

• As needed, participate in community outreach efforts and collaborative community efforts

• As needed, participate in new employee onboarding and training

Other Duties

Please note this position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications

• The ideal candidate will meet at least one of the following qualifications:

• Minimum education level of a Bachelor's Degree in social work, public health, or other related field

• A minimum of 2 years of direct experience in the following fields: working with people seeking abortions, IPV crisis intervention, substance-use disorder (SUD), and/or human trafficking work.

• Additional education in healthcare, administration, or related fields

• Bilingual language skills in Spanish are preferred but not required.

• Prior experience working in healthcare is preferred.

• Commitment to health equity, reproductive justice, and patient autonomy.

• Demonstrated ability to multitask and remain flexible in a fast-paced environment.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work collaboratively across roles.

• Ability to provide trauma-informed, patient-centered support to staff and patients.

• Comfortable managing schedules, workflows, and real-time operational needs

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Ability to remain calm and effective during periods of high patient volume or staff stress.

• Ability to hear patient stories involving traumatic events on a routine basis and respond compassionately and appropriately, following best practice guidelines.

• Basic computer skills and ability to learn clinic systems as needed.

• Demonstrates integrity, professionalism, and alignment with the mission and values of Hope Clinic.

Working Conditions

This position operates in an outpatient clinical setting. Working spaces may include administrative areas, clinical floors, and patient care areas. The role requires frequent interaction with clinical staff and patients throughout the clinic day. This is an in-person role - remote work is not a planned component of this position.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate in person and by telephone. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk throughout the clinic, as well as sit for administrative tasks. The employee may be required to assist with light lifting and movement related to clinical support tasks.

A Note to Potential Candidates

Studies have shown that women, trans, non-binary folks, and BIPOC are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every single one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization, and we are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a background less traditional to our field of work, and that's okay. We would strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of the qualifications described.

Hope's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Diversity is a core value at Hope Clinic. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working and growth environment for all employees. We believe every member on our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions.

Hope Clinic is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate in employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, gender or gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disabilities or any other characteristics or status protected by federal, state or local laws.

Hope Clinic

Hope Clinic's mission is to advance the human right to autonomy through the provision of the highest quality medical and emotional abortion care. Hope Clinic is an independent organization that employs more than 40 staff members. Hope Clinic is a member of the National Abortion Federation (NAF) and the Abortion Care Network (ACN).