COPD Navigator- Part Time Days

Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System; West Chester (Chester County); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn Medicine in Philadelphia seeks a Respiratory Therapist to serve as COPD Navigator, guiding patients and caregivers after discharge, delivering education, scheduling resources, and coordinating care with the COPD team.

The Navigator identifies COPD patients early, provides disease education, assists with transitions to home or skilled facilities, and connects patients with pulmonary rehab and follow-up testing.

Qualifications

• Current license to practice Respiratory Care in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Required).
• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) (Required).
• Credentialed as a COPD Educator within one year of hire (Required).
• BLS certification (Required).
• Advanced certifications in Pulmonary Function Testing (RPFT/CPFT), Sleep Disorders Testing and Therapeutic Intervention Specialist (SDS) or AE-C (Preferred).
• Participation with AARC/PSRC (Preferred).

Responsibilities

• Identify COPD patients early in admission in collaboration with the health care team.
• Deliver disease-specific education, including medications, using teach-back methodology.
• Promote patient knowledge of health, disease and behavior change.
• Perform early assessment to stratify readmission risk per GOLD guidelines.
• Assist in ensuring adherence to evidence-based orders for disease exacerbations.

Skills

Respiratory care

Patient education

Care coordination

Team collaboration

Education

Associate/Science in Respiratory Care + 5+ years

Bachelor’s in Respiratory Care + 5+ years

Job description

Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical and business professionals across all disciplines.

Today at Penn Medicine, someone will make a breakthrough. Someone will heal a heart, deliver hopeful news, and give comfort and reassurance. Our employees shape our future each day. Are you living your life's work?

Summary

The COPD Navigator provides a link for patients to the care team, providers, and services after discharge. As an experienced Respiratory Therapist, the Navigator strives to understand patients' individual needs and to supply education, information, and scheduling resources to support COPD disease management. Prompt patient treatment is expedited by the COPD Navigator. The Navigator provides exceptional support and answers to ongoing questions for patients and caregivers throughout the course of their care.

Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the health care team, provide early identification of the COPD patient upon admission
• Deliver disease‑specific patient education, including medications, utilizing teach‑back methodology
• Promote patient knowledge of health, disease and behavior change
• Perform early assessment that stratifies re‑admission risk utilizing GOLD guidelines
• Act as a liaison to ensure adherence to evidence‑based order set to appropriately treat disease exacerbations with guideline‑directed therapies
• make recommendations for therapy modification based on guidelines
• Collaborate across disciplines and the continuum of care to optimize transition to home or skilled facility and address transition of care barriers
• Perform an interview and chart review assessment of all COPD admissions to identify barriers to disease management at home and contributing factors to readmission
• work with appropriate team members to overcome or resolve
• Assist in identification of patients for whom a goals of care conversation or palliative consult should be considered and communicate this to the care team
• Act as a liaison to obtain timely referrals to pulmonary rehabilitation, pulmonary consults, smoking cessation and outpatient pulmonary testing as appropriate.
• Communicate with patient’s primary care provider as appropriate and as able, to provide update on patient condition and recommend outpatient testing, pulmonary rehab and follow‑up care
• In collaboration with Quality and COPD disease management teams, collect and update statistical data for the COPD quality initiatives
• Collaborate to ensure appointments are made with appropriate health care providers prior to discharge
• Support recruitment and enrollment in post‑discharge follow‑up program: Breathe Better Together
• Participate and contribute to the work of the multi‑disciplinary COPD disease management team
• Support patient and caregiver engagement in Better Breathers Support Group

Credentials

• Current license to practice Respiratory Care in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. (Required)
• Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) (Required)
• Credentialed as a COPD Educator within one year of hire (Required)
• BLS certification (Required)
• Advanced certifications in, Pulmonary Function Testing (RPFT or CPFT), Sleep Disorders Testing and Therapeutic Intervention Specialist (SDS) or Asthma Educator-Certified (AE-C) (Preferred)
• Participation with professional Respiratory Care Associations (AARC/PSRC) (Preferred)

Education or Equivalent Experience

• Associate of Arts or Science and 5+ years Respiratory care (Required)
• Bachelor of Arts or Science and 5+ years Respiratory care (Preferred)

We believe that the best care for our patients starts with the best care for our employees. Our employee benefits programs help our employees get healthy and stay healthy. We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits program that includes one of the finest prepaid tuition assistance programs in the region. Penn Medicine employees are actively engaged and committed to our mission. Together we will continue to make medical advances that help people live longer, healthier lives.

Live Your Life's Work

We are an Equal Opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, familial status, genetic information, domestic or sexual violence victim status, citizenship status, military status, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable law.