Community Health Specialist

The Community Health Specialist in Diabetes and Nutrition services is responsible for patient health and wellness education in diabetes and nutrition. The CHS facilitates patient access and utilization of Continuous Glucose Monitors and other digital health technologies at Asian Health Services. Contributing as a member of AHS clinic teams, this position will actively engage, assist and educate patients and their families to effectively and successfully use technologies to improve their overall experience and their health outcomes

Essential Job Functions

• Assist and educate patients in obtaining, accessing and using Digital Health Technologies, primarily Continuous Glucose Monitors but may also include mobile health applications, telehealth and video visit applications, and other remote patient monitoring/wearable devices and patient portal to electronic health records.
• Conduct group or individualized education sessions on Continuous Glucose Monitors for patients and their families.
• Assist patients in troubleshooting device and connectivity challenges, while keeping them motivated to regularly use remote health devices and to improve health.
• Support patients in a variety of settings, including in-clinic, and in patient homes either in person or using virtual visits (e.g. over phone or video calls, text messaging, emails.)
• Maintain expertise in frequently used technology for patient care, including video platforms, smartphones, and remote patient monitoring devices
• Support program development and continuous improvement, such as developing educational materials (including handouts and videos), and improving policies and procedures, and contributing to data about program performance and patient experience.
• Document patient care activities in Electronic Health Record (EHR).
• Support care team in engaging and empowering patient to improve their health
• Collaboration within AHS sites and entities outside of AHS.
• Represent AHS in community forums and meetings as needed
• Provide clinic support as needed, including:
• a. Schedule appointments; answer patient calls as needed
• b. Check-in and check-out
• c. Provide interpretation support
• d. Assist patients in obtaining devices (CGM, glucometers) and consumables (eg sensors, strips) by collaborating with pharmacies, insurances, and internal resources.
• e. Assist Registered Dieticians with pt care documentation in EHR.
• f. Educate and collaborate with co-workers on device use and troubleshooting
• Provide basic nutrition and health counseling.
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor
  
  
  
  
  

GENERAL AGENCY/AHS DUTIES:

• Fosters an environment that promotes trust and cooperation among patients, their families, and staff
• Enforces clinic policies and procedures, including maintenance of client confidentiality under HIPAA privacy rules, to ensure that the principles of AHS are implemented
• Plays an active role in planning organization-wide activities such as AHS general membership meetings, fundraisers, special clinic days and other events
• Participates in general membership meetings, fundraisers and other public events, as required
• Participates in outreach activities, agency advocacy, and serves on ad hoc committees, as requested
• Attends AHS staff retreats and meetings, as required
• Participates in agency-wide quality improvement program processes and performance improvement teams to ensure excellence in the quality of services provided across the agency
  
  
  
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Nutrition Sciences or Human Biology
• Fluency in an Asian language required, preferably Cantonese
• Demonstrated experience in working with some digital health technology and willingness to learn and teach new technology to patients and other AHS staff is required
  
  
  
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Written language skills in an Asian language is preferred.
• Experience with Epic Electronic Health Record would be an asset
  
  
  
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Ability to work collaboratively with Nutrition/Diabetes team with a focus on customer service and quality of care, exemplifying the core values and mission of the organization
• Able to effectively train and guide staff and patients to use Digital Health technologies
• Demonstrate appropriate interpersonal skills, get along with coworkers and management, and deal effectively and professionally under pressure.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and time management skills with the ability to meet tight timeframes.
• Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Able to work independently and with minimal supervision
• Creativity, flexibility, and adaptable to change
• Sound decision-making skills including problem-solving, critical thinking, and good judgment.
• Ability to multi-task and work effectively in a high-stress and fast-moving environment
• Culturally sensitive and demonstrated ability and effectiveness in working with ethnically diverse populations
• Working knowledge of medical terminology
• Proficiency in computer and smartphone operation with adaptability to learning different software and devices
• Travel to work assignments, a valid current license, and appropriate individual automobile insurance must be maintained
  
  
  
  
  

PHYSICAL & WORK DEMANDS

• 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 essential functions
• The job requires mobility to work in a clinic setting, strength to lift, carry and position supplies and equipment; touch to conduct physical health assessments; vision to read handwritten and printed materials and use technology, and examine and observe patients; hearing and speech to converse in person, on phone and virtually. The job is performed in a moderate-to-loud work environment with potential exposure to infectious diseases through contact with patients and laboratory specimens.
• Pace of Work: Rapid and intense especially when faced with patient care/services deadlines.