Patient Navigator 3

Job Function Summary:

Involves providing non-clinical support, guidance and assistance for patients and families as they navigate through complex healthcare environments. Primary goals are to increase patient satisfaction, and to optimize care and outcomes. Acts as a communication liaison to understand the patient's non-clinical individual needs, desires, and concerns. Guides the patient and family to a broad range of services, amenities, and information to promote healing and ensure satisfaction with the patient care experience.

Generic Scope

Experienced professional who knows how to apply theory and put it into practice with in-depth understanding of the professional field; independently performs the full range of responsibilities within the function; possesses broad job knowledge; analyzes problems / issues of diverse scope and determines solutions.

Custom Scope

The Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Patient Navigator for the UCSF Pediatric Brain Center provides individualized assistance and support to patients throughout their care with Pediatric Neuro- Oncology, serving as a cross-bay resource and advocate for pediatric patients and families while they are going through the journey of diagnosis, treatment and recovery. The service is offered to pediatric patients from their initial visit to their ongoing post treatment appointments after discharge and ongoing monitoring throughout the patient’s pediatric life. The Pediatric Neuro- Oncology Patient Navigator’s primary goals are to increase patient satisfaction, and to optimize care and outcomes. S/he acts as a communication liaison to understand the patient's non-clinical individual needs, desires, and concerns. S/he guides the patient and family to a broad range of services, amenities, and information to promote healing and ensure satisfaction with the patient care experience.

The Pediatric Neuro- Oncology Patient Navigator provides patient care coordination by serving as a communication bridge, when needed, between the patient, family and the practitioners and services s/he may require during their treatment. This involves developing expertise in the operations and systems underlying all service areas directly or indirectly related to Neuro- Oncology, including UCSF interdepartmental support for patients receiving care outside of Neuro-Oncology Services.  The position requires self-initiative, as well as exceptional social skills and emotional intelligence in order to support patients with a wide variety of psycho-social needs and the ability to effectively communicate with faculty and staff throughout the clinical enterprise. To be effective in the position, the Pediatric Neuro- Oncology Patient Navigator shall remain current on inpatient care protocols that affect patients’ post discharge care on an outpatient basis. This includes attending grand rounds sessions reviewing patient safety, standardization of inpatient and outpatient protocols.

This position is a vital and an integral part of the patient-centric care mission and direct patient education efforts of UCSF Pediatric Neuro- Oncology. It is the common goal of these programs to ensure patients have full, equitable and convenient access to the clinical services they require and to the health education information needed to make informed decisions about their care.

Serves as a non-clinical resource and liaison for patients and their families. Assists with navigating all aspects of the healthcare system. Uses knowledge of the unit or clinic to resolve issues and identify ways to increase patient satisfaction. Collaborates with department managers to meet patient expectations, achieve quality outcomes and build a patient focused culture.

Department Overview 

The Pediatric Neuro- Oncology Patient Navigator for the UCSF Pediatric Brain Center provides individualized assistance and support to patients throughout their care with Pediatric Neuro- Oncology, serving as a resource and advocate for pediatric patients and families while they are going through the journey of diagnosis and treatment for cancer. The service is offered to pediatric patients from their initial visit to their ongoing post treatment appointments 2-3 weeks after discharge and ongoing monitoring during treatment for pediatric cancer.  A particular focus is assisting patients coming to UCSF for second opinion or advanced cancer care from an outside-referring physician.  Patient Navigator is responsible for ensuring an efficient visit that cover referring provider and patient needs.

The Pediatric Neuro- Oncology Patient Navigator provides patient care coordination by serving as a communication bridge, when needed, between the patient, family and referring providers and services he/she may require during their treatment. This involves developing expertise in the operations and systems underlying all service areas directly or indirectly related to Pediatric oncology care at UCSF, including UCSF interdepartmental support for patients receiving care outside of Pediatric Neuro- Oncology.  The position requires self-initiative, as well as exceptional social skills and emotional intelligence to support patients with a wide variety of psycho-social needs and the ability to effectively communicate with faculty and staff throughout the clinical enterprise. To be effective in the position, the Pediatric Oncology Patient Navigator shall remain current on inpatient care protocols, particularly Phase I protocols for which patients may be specifically referred for care to UCSF.  To stay current, Patient Navigator will be expected to  attend weekly tumor boards and other meetings where status of individual patients and development of new protocols is discussed. 

This position is a vital and an integral part of the patient-centric care mission and direct patient education efforts of UCSF Pediatric Neuro- Oncology. It is the common goal of this program to ensure patients have full, equitable and convenient access to the clinical services they require and to the health education information needed to make informed decisions about their care.