Digital navigation is the act of supporting people to access digital tools and skills in order to participate in the digital ecosystem. Chronic disease health coaching has been found effective to address chronic conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and COPD or asthma, particularly for low-income and vulnerable patients. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the “digital divide,” meaning gap in access for patients with variable socioeconomic status has expanded, with lower telehealth access for racially and ethnically minoritized patients who are more likely to have less access to devices and internet due to structural racism. With the likelihood of upcoming pandemics and the convenience of telehealth services for patients with competing demands, narrowing the digital divide with an equity lens for telehealth is an utmost priority.
The “Digital Coach-Navigator” position will work closely with a transdisciplinary team including nephrology, family and community medicine, library science and informatics to implement an intervention to provide digital navigation and health coaching for patients with diabetes. This assistance may be provided in person or by voice telephone, email, text, video chat, and other communication methods that work for the patient. The incumbent will receive extensive training at the beginning of employment to gain the knowledge and skills needed to work with patients in an individualized manner. The Digital Coach-Navigator will work collaboratively with the research coordinator team and in conjunction with one other coach-navigator. Duties will include reviewing patient records, gathering relevant patient data, meeting with referred patients, assisting patients with basic health education regarding diabetes and hypertension, supporting chronic disease self-management skills, assess digital literacy, assess device and internet access, and support patient to access community resources to best meet their telehealth needs. The coach-navigator will also liaise with the primary care team to support patient goals for telehealth and chronic disease management.
The Digital Coach-Navigator will act as a representative of the study team, interacting with clinicians, staff, and patients of participating health centers; personnel of community-based organizations, as well as with study participants. This study is oriented to particularly close the “digital divide” for patients who experience racism particularly Black and Latinx patients; the Digital Coach-Navigator must demonstrate exceptional patient-facing communication skills, demonstrate high cultural awareness and humility, and apply a health equity and justice framework when working with participants of diverse racial, ethnic and sociodemographic backgrounds. The Digital Coach-Navigator must work well as a team player to manage responsibilities across different investigators, departments, and co-workers.
Critical Skills and Aptitudes
? Ability to embrace the challenge of learning and teaching basic technological concepts related to internet services, computer and device characteristics, and common online services and applications.
? Excellent self-organization and proactivity for assigned tasks
? Excellent telephone and online communication skills, including the ability to establish trust with clients of varied educational and cultural backgrounds and to have patience in working with adult learners and learners of different learning styles
? Ability to demonstrate positive attitude, excellent interpersonal skills, cultural humility in working with diverse patients, coworkers, and community.
? Ability to creatively solve problems and negotiate and handle stressful situations in a positive manner.
? Ability to provide excellent customer service, establish appropriate boundaries with clients, and to demonstrate innovation and flexibility.
? Ability to speak Spanish needed
-Ability to take initiative, work with autonomy, and demonstrated reliability are also required.
-The incumbent must be able to be organized to meet project deadlines.
The final salary and offer components are subject to additional approvals based on UC policy.
Your placement within the salary range is dependent on a number of factors including your work experience and internal equity within this position classification at UCSF. For positions that are represented by a labor union, placement within the salary range will be guided by the rules in the collective bargaining agreement.
The salary range for this position is $29.99 - $48.23 (Hourly Rate).
To learn more about the benefits of working at UCSF, including total compensation, please visit: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html
- Certificate of completion from an accredited medical assistant training program
- Minimum of 6 months working with underserved or vulnerable populations
- Minimum 6 months experience working with electronic medical record systems such as Epic to review patient records, identify care gaps, and communicate across care team members
- Minimum 6 months prior experience working with adult patients with diabetes and hypertension
- Acquiring knowledge of Patient Rights & Responsibilities, Joint Commission standards, and Centers for Medicare / Medicaid regulations. Knowledge of Medical Terminology. Knowledge of data collection, compilation, and analytical techniques.
- Bachelor's degree in related area and 1 or more years of related work experience; and / or equivalent experience / training.
- Demonstrated fluency in Spanish in reading, writing, and verbal skills
- Willingness to acquire knowledge of medical terminology, patient privacy standards, clinic workflows, and patient-centered communication techniques
- This is a critical position. The incumbent must pass a background check and fingerprinting.
- Able and willing to work flexible hours including some weeknight and weekend work
- Ability to travel between community based sites within and near San Francisco to conduct duties
- Proficiency with Windows-based software including Microsoft word, Excel, Outlook. Knowledge of computer systems and software used in functional area.
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
- Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, demanding environment with minimal supervision. Ability to manage and oversee multiple tasks simultaneously, including high daily call volume.
- Solid interpersonal and customer service skills. Ability to be diplomatic and highly organized. Ability to remain calm under pressure and apply sound judgment.
- Skills to comprehend and assess patient's grievances to quickly locate appropriate resource for assistance. Working knowledge of the organization and how to get issues resolved.
