Community Health Worker

WVU Medicine; Keyser (WV); On-site; USD 32,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

PVH Potomac Valley Hospital in Keyser, WV seeks a Community Health Worker to perform in-home, clinic, telephonic, and community visits, guiding patients through care plans and social resources. The role emphasizes health risk assessments and support for barriers to care.

Responsibilities include education, medication adherence support, transitions of care, and documentation in the electronic health record; candidates should have a high school diploma and a valid driver’s license.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent required.
• Valid Driver’s License required.
• Experience in health care or community health settings preferred.
• Familiarity with electronic health records or documentation systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Conducts in-home, clinic-based, telephonic, and community-based wellness visits with patients/members as assigned.
• Completes health risk assessments and social needs screenings to identify barriers to care.
• Supports medication adherence and follow-up care needs.
• Assists with appointment reminders, preventive screenings, and immunizations.
• Facilitates transitions of care and connects patients to internal and external resources.
• Documents encounters and follow-ups in the electronic system per department policy.
• Escalates safety or social needs concerns to the appropriate team.

Skills

Independent discretion

Communication

Basic computer skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Valid Driver’s License

Job description

Welcome! We’re excited you’re considering an opportunity with us! Below, you’ll find other important information about this position.

Minimum Qualifications

Education, Certification, and/or Licensure:

• High School diploma or equivalent
• Valid Driver’s License.

Preferred Qualifications

• Completion of a Community Health Worker, Community Healthcare Worker, Community Health Education Resource Person, or similar curriculum within one year of hire.
• CPR certification.
• Medical Assistant, Certified Nursing Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Health Coach, Peer Support, or other health care/community health-related certification.

Experience

• Prior experience in a health care, community health, public health, social service, case management, care coordination, patient navigation, or related setting.
• Experience working directly with patients, members, families, or community members to address barriers to care.
• Experience with electronic health records or other documentation systems.
• Experience supporting patients with chronic conditions, preventive care needs, medication adherence, transitions of care, or social drivers of health.
• Experience conducting outreach, home visits, community-based visits, or field-based work.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

The statements described here are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be constructed as an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities and duties. Other duties may be assigned. Conducts in-home, clinic-based, telephonic, and community-based wellness visits with patients/members as assigned.

• Completes health risk assessments, social needs screenings, and follow-up activities to identify barriers related to health care access, food, housing, transportation, medication access, safety, utilities, and other social drivers of health.
• Provides support, education, and reinforcement to help patients/members understand and follow their individualized care plans.
• Supports medication adherence by providing reminders, identifying barriers to medication access or understanding, and escalating concerns to the appropriate clinical team member.
• Assists patients/members with appointment reminders, follow-up care needs, preventive screenings, immunizations, routine checkups, and appropriate use of their medical home.
• Facilitates transitions of care after hospital, emergency department, or skilled nursing facility discharge by assisting with outreach, follow-up needs, appointment coordination, resource connection, and escalation of concerns.
• Connects patients/members to appropriate internal and external resources.
• Helps patients/members access community-based resources, including food assistance, housing support, transportation resources, utility assistance, financial assistance programs, and other social service supports.
• Assists patients/members with completion of forms, applications, resource referrals, and follow-up steps needed to access programs or benefits for which they may be eligible.
• Serves as a trusted liaison between patients/members, families, community organizations, health care providers, clinics, and social service agencies.
• Builds positive, supportive relationships with patients/members while promoting engagement, self-management, and active participation in health and wellness goals.
• Documents all encounters, outreach attempts, assessments, identified needs, interventions, referrals, and follow-up activities in the appropriate electronic system according to departmental expectations.
• Escalates concerns related to safety, unmet social needs, changes in health status, behavioral health concerns, medication concerns, suspected abuse/neglect, or barriers requiring clinical or social work intervention to the appropriate team member.
• Maintains current knowledge of community resources, health care services, payer resources, internal programs, and referral pathways.
• Works collaboratively and effectively within a team while also demonstrating the ability to work independently in community-based settings.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Frequent standing, sitting and walking or ability to sit for long period of times.
• Ability to walk moderate distance indoors and outdoors
• Ability to lift, push, or pull a minimum of 40 pounds
• Visual acuity(corrected)-keen for both distance and near objects ; Hearing (aid permitted) –must be able to function without use of lip reading.

Working Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, airborne particles, body fluids, toxic or caustic chemicals, risk of electrical shock, and risk of radiation. The noise level in the environment is usually moderate. The environment is clinical in nature and also home based and in the community as well.
• There may be factors and situations encountered or associated with one’s job or work environment that create potential stress, emotional strain and/or other interpersonal problems

Skills and Abilities

• Capable of independent discretion/decision making, manages stress appropriately and strong organizational and interpersonal skills for working within the healthcare team and with clients.
• Effective oral and written communication
• Basic Computer skills
• High level of interpersonal skills, problem solving and strong analytic abilities

Additional Job Description

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40

Shift:

Exempt/Non-Exempt: United States of America (Non-Exempt)

Company: PVH Potomac Valley Hospital

Cost Center: 8880 PVH Medicine Preventive Medicine

Address:
100 Pin Oak Lane
Keyser
West Virginia

Equal Opportunity Employer

West Virginia University Health System and its subsidiaries (collectively "WVUHS") is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. WVUHS strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. All WVUHS employees, other workers, and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment.