Patient Advocate Lead

Weekly outpatient therapy isn't always enough, and a trip to the ER isn't the only answer. Patients and their families rely on Compass Health Center when in crisis – every day, we help people overcome depression, anxiety, suicidality, obsessions/compulsions, trauma, chronic pain, and other obstacles in order for our patients to live freely.

About This Role 

We are seeking a Patient Advocate Lead responsible for being the single point of contact for patients and their families in navigating the intricacies of their time at Compass. Given the unique dynamics associated with all patients who arrive at Compass, we believe it is important to equip them with access to an individual who knows how to proficiently navigate the organization to efficiently and effectively address the patient concerns at the same time following HIPAA standards. The Patient Advocate role is not responsible for answering all of the questions – but connecting with the appropriate people internally to get the right information in a timely fashion. The Patient Advocate plays a vital role in the patient/parent satisfaction as well as providing a single voice to the patient on all areas related to supporting the clinical care.

*This is a Hybrid position with the expectation of being on site at our Oak Brook location 3 to 4 days per week* 

*Schedule: Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:00am to 6:15pm* 

What You'll Do:

• Staffing / Training
  • Take part in interviewing and hiring as needed.
  • Train new hires and cross-train patient administration staff as needed.
  • Keep Patient Advocate Protocol Manual up to date.
  • Provide feedback for performance reviews.
• Pre-admission / pre-intake management
  • When necessary, assist Patient Care Coordinators in collecting required up-front information to ensure seamless intake process upon arrival. Share and collect initial paperwork up-front to ensure any issues (e.g., ROIs, discharge paperwork, medical decision making) are resolved before intake or program depending on the requirements; institute new processes associated with new EMR.
  • Coordinate benefits eligibility to provide a view of coverage (to be provided by billing department pre-intake).
  • Address initial financing questions (and/or transfer to billing department for in-depth discussion).
  • Coordinate and assist with accommodations needed in terms of initial scheduling (e.g., same day intakes, minimum paperwork).
• Administrative intake (discussions post clinical intake)
  • Conduct administrative intake and meet with patients/parents and provide a high-level view of the process going forward (recommendation, what time to show up, how the billing discussions will work, how we will use the patient portal) and share with them the information they are receiving in the initial packet; provide contact information.
  • Review the accuracy of demographics, insurance, completion of forms, organizational data to be enter in the chart in a timely manner.
  • Review with patients/parents about their insurance coverage.
  • Coordinate with billing department for transition to in-depth billing discussion where needed (e.g., payment, EOBs, deductibles, payment plans, etc.); note the goal is to ensure the Patient Advocate focused on getting patient to care versus the financing of care.
  • Collect required financial documents prior to patient starting program.
  • Collect real-time feedback on the intake process and improve as needed and additional information on patients who leave uncertain (track and identify trends across programs).
  • Identify any additional needs associated with care (confidentiality, mobility support, conflicts of interest, COBRA, FMLA).
  • Maintain patient charts according to confidentiality standards and policy. Maintain patient’s, visitor’ and staff’s confidentiality according to HIPAA requirements and Compass Policy.
  • Coordinate any additional needs before program begins (e.g., additional consents, records, divorce decrees, etc.
• Patient navigation during course of treatment
  • Answer calls / emails from patients or parents with questions regarding treatment; escalate issues as needed (e.g., concerns with treatment team, confidentiality, additional / new accommodations).
  • Obtain authorization for additionally recommended service including Urinary Drug Screening (UDS) coordination and Genetic Testing coordination.
  • With direction from the clinical director, coordinate Circulation rides for patients as necessary.
• Ongoing issue resolution
  • Receive and document issues that arise from patients/ parents during treatment; escalate crisis calls to clinical or Compass Leadership as needed.
  • Register and move to address major patient concerns (e.g., routing calls for incorrect billings, changes in payment information, etc.).
  • Coordinate any insurance related issues (e.g., insurance coverage/termination, authorizations.
  • Closely manage the information provided for sensitive cases (e.g., divorced, VIP patients, etc.) and ensure full compliance with Compass protocols and procedures.

Who You Are:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 2-3 years of supervisory experience preferred.
• 3-5 years of experience in a professional office setting.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organization and planning skills; detail oriented.
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong computer proficiency and ability to learn new software.
• Flexible schedule - Able to work assigned schedule.
• Prior experience working in partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, inpatient hospital, or residential setting preferred.

We know job descriptions can be intimidating, so if this sounds like an opportunity for you, please don't hesitate to apply! 

Who We Are 

Compass Health Center is a recognized leader in crisis-level mental health, bringing passion, connection, and patient-centered care to the Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient space (PHP/IOP). Based in Chicagoland, we serve hundreds of patients every day, ranging from ages 5 through adulthood, in our onsite facilities or through our flourishing virtual programming. Compass fills a critical gap between outpatient and inpatient care through an intermediate level of Behavioral Healthcare.  

A few more things we want you to know: our values are super important to us, and hopefully will be to you, too. Cultural humility, teamwork, continuous improvement, connection, patient centered care, passion, innovation, and agility should be your power sources. Joining Compass is an opportunity to feel fulfilled through a joint mission towards healing our communities. 

Benefits & Perks 

We know that you will be dedicated to your purpose here. We look at that investment as a two-way street. We are proud to offer plenty of space for growth, and opportunities to pursue continuous development within our organization. 

For eligible positions, our other benefits include: comprehensive medical/dental/vision plans, 401k program with company matching, generous PTO (including competitive parental leave after 1 year of employment), and continuous training through CEU seminars and volunteering opportunities.  

What’s Next? 

Compass is committed to cultivating diverse and dynamic teams who exude passion for their craft, so whether or not you check all the boxes, we encourage you to apply – we’d be grateful to hear from you!