Patient Navigator Specialist - Special Patient Population

Duke University; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Duke Health is seeking a Patient Navigator for a Special Patient Population in Durham. This role delivers a highly personalized, concierge-level care plan by coordinating access to care, logistics, and support services across the care continuum.

You will work with interdisciplinary teams to address medical and psychosocial needs, ensure timely care, and tailor services to diverse cultural and personal preferences. A Bachelor's degree and 3+ years of healthcare operations experience are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Public Health, Hospitality Management, Communications, or a related field. Equivalent education and experience may be considered.
• Three years of experience in healthcare operations, patient navigation, care coordination, hospitality, customer service, international services, or a related field.
• Experience supporting complex patient populations is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary navigator and advocate for assigned patients and families, providing a personalized, high-touch care experience that supports patients from intake through completion of care.
• Ensure comprehensive, timely, and seamless care through development and support of care plans, coordination with physicians, clinical teams, nurse coordinators, financial coordinators, sponsors, embassy representatives, and external partners to address patient needs and remove barriers.
• Exhibit extensive understanding of patient care and health system pathways and serve as a conduit between patient and providers to address medical and psychosocial needs.
• Facilitate clear, responsive communication among patients, families, providers, care teams, sponsors, and external partners to promote alignment, continuity, and confidence throughout the care journey.
• Reinforcing patient education to facilitate active participation in decision making in care.
• Anticipate patient and family needs, proactively identify potential barriers to care, and coordinate timely solutions that support continuity of care and an effortless patient experience.
• Design and deliver culturally responsive care experiences that thoughtfully integrate each patient’s cultural, religious, linguistic, and personal preferences into the care plan and overall patient experience.
• Navigate complex, cross-cultural patient interactions with exceptional cultural intelligence, adaptability, discretion, and interpersonal effectiveness, including sensitive or high-profile situations.
• Leverage institutional resources and cross-functional partnerships to coordinate specialized patient, family, and sponsor needs and deliver a differentiated, concierge-level care experience.
• Use patient feedback, service trends, documentation, and program data to support quality improvement, process redesign, program development, and service enhancements that strengthen the patient journey.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Public Health, Hospitality Management, Communications, or a related field

Job description

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert:

Work Arrangement:

Requisition Number: 274379

Regular or Temporary: Regular

Location:

Durham, NC, US, 27710

Date: Sep 15, 2026

At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together.

Pursue your passion for caring with Duke Health Integrated Practice, which comprises more than 110 primary and specialty outpatient clinics, extending the reach of Duke Health's mission across the state of North Carolina.

JOB LOCATION

JOB SUMMARY

The Patient Navigator Special Patient Population provides navigation services across the care continuum for the patients for a specialized patient population based on phase of care or identified need. The Patient Navigator works to develop, implement, and support comprehensive care plans and serves as the primary non-clinical point of contact for domestic, international, high-profile, and other special patient populations throughout the care journey. This role is responsible for designing and delivering a highly personalized, concierge-level patient care plan by coordinating access to care, logistics, communication, and support services. The Patient Navigator Special Patient Population will work as an integral part of an interdisciplinary team, ensuring excellence in patient care, in an effort to achieve optimal clinical outcomes through a seamless model of access and care.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Serve as the primary navigator and advocate for assigned patients and families, providing a personalized, high-touch care experience that supports patients from intake through completion of care.

Ensure comprehensive, timely, and seamless care through development and support of care plans, coordination with with physicians, clinical teams, nurse coordinators, financial coordinators, sponsors, embassy representatives, and external partners to address patient needs and remove barriers.

Exhibit extensive understanding of patient care and health system pathways and serve as a conduit between patient and providers to address medical and psychosocial needs.

Facilitate clear, responsive communication among patients, families, providers, care teams, sponsors, and external partners to promote alignment, continuity, and confidence throughout the care journey.

Reinforcing patient education to facilitate active participation in decision making in care.

Anticipate patient and family needs, proactively identify potential barriers to care, and coordinate timely solutions that support continuity of care and an effortless patient experience.

Design and deliver culturally responsive care experiences that thoughtfully integrate each patient’s cultural, religious, linguistic, and personal preferences into the care plan and overall patient experience.

Navigate complex, cross-cultural patient interactions with exceptional cultural intelligence, adaptability, discretion, and interpersonal effectiveness, including sensitive or high-profile situations.

Leverage institutional resources and cross-functional partnerships to coordinate specialized patient, family, and sponsor needs and deliver a differentiated, concierge-level care experience.

Use patient feedback, service trends, documentation, and program data to support quality improvement, process redesign, program development, and service enhancements that strengthen the patient journey.

JOB ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, Public Health, Hospitality Management, Communications, or a related field. Equivalent education and experience may be considered.

Three years of experience in healthcare operations, patient navigation, care coordination, hospitality, customer service, international services, or a related field.

• Experience supporting complex patient populations is preferred.

JOB HOURS

The schedule for this position is day shifts, Monday-Friday, with no weekends or holidays.

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information andprovision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Nearest Major Market

Durham

Nearest Secondary Market

Raleigh

Read more about Duke’s commitment to affirmative action and nondiscrimination at hr.duke.edu/eeo.