Medical Assistant / Patient Navigator

Medical Assistant / Patient Navigator

Cedar Wellness Center is a Tribally owned clinic that treats a diverse population of patients, including Native and Non-Native people. We have the opportunity to provide whole person care, while managing patient substance use disorders, primary care, infectious disease, and mental health needs. We are building a team of dedicated and compassionate individuals.

Cedar Wellness Center brings an innovative model of highly individualized, compassionate care to patients with opioid use disorder. From the moment someone walks through the door of our state-of-the-art outpatient facility, they will encounter our thoughtfulness and intention for a humanizing and respectful experience with us. The comforting and safe setting of our nature-inspired facility and the friendly, professional attitude of our staff help to define our journey with each patient—and with each other—from day one.

Each employee at Cedar Wellness Center creates their own ripple effect in the larger circles of the families and communities that we touch. Are you ready to make a difference with us?

We are currently seeking a Medical Assistant / Patient Navigator to support our clinic in Tacoma, WA. This position, reporting to the Clinic Director, is an excellent opportunity for someone excited to make an immediate and lasting impact in a growing company. 

Position Overview:  

The Medical Assistant/Patient Navigator will be a source of kindness and empathy for patients who are trying to find their way to a better life. Cedar Wellness Center treats patients with respect and honors their efforts to improve their health. The Patient Navigator’s role is to be positive, full of hope and to be present with our patients in their struggles as well assist them with connecting with resources including food, housing/ shelter, transportation and referrals to other compassionate providers. The ideal candidate will be a team player who is ready to jump into new challenges and opportunities, loves learning new things, and is interested in cross-training opportunities.  

We are looking for a Medical Assistant/Patient Navigator who understands how critical opioid treatment is and who wants to help to by being part of a whole-person treatment team where every employee makes a difference in our patients’ lives every day.  Are you ready to make a difference one person at a time?  

Primary Duties: 

• Be available to patients daily to assist with critical resources and referrals.
• Develop and work with agencies and service providers to facilitate coordination and information sharing; provide support services as applicable.
• Provide transportation support, housing referrals and PCP and specialty care coordination.
• Perform patient registration and admission functions, including entering referral data, income verification and insurance data, and ensure data remains up to date over time.
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with current and potential referral sources.
• Maintain comprehensive working knowledge of community resources and assist patients in accessing community resources.
• Develop, create, and maintain a resource file of available social service agencies and assistance providers in the target area for use in referring customers for needed services.
• Be the face of the clinic to all patients and visitors, acting as a receptionist.
• Answer calls politely and professionally. Refer calls to appropriate staff or take messages. Set or clear call forwarding when necessary. Check for messages with "on call" person or answering machine each morning.
• Perform clerical, receptionist, and communication functions for the clinic as required.
• Schedule new and returning patients with appropriate staff for medical and clinical counseling appointments. Record patient attendance, "no shows," and cancellations.
• Participate in staff meetings and work with other administrative staff as required.
• Maintain professional and congenial attitude toward coworkers, patients, agencies, and members in the community.
• Use appropriate technology tools to accomplish job functions; understand and utilize available technology as customer service, communications, and data-gathering tools.
• Assist patients to enroll in Medi-Cal.
• Emergency Room liaison.
• Work with jail and probation officials.
• Participate in health fairs, community events, and other events where the target population gathers.
• Collect body fluid samples for patients being admitted to treatment.
• Administer TB, pregnancy, and breath alcohol tests to appropriate patients.
• Label urine test bottles and prepare specimens for mailing or courier pick-up. Re-order supplies when shipment is depleted.
• Ability to float to the MA or Front office position.

Minimum Requirements:  

• Possess a Medical Assistant Certificate and a High School diploma or equivalent to diploma (college degree preferred).
• History of performing in a professional capacity.
• Willing to follow Cedar Wellness Center’s personnel policies.
• Able to work the hours and days required by position, including daily 5:30 am start times.
• Be willing to learn and able to deliver evidence-based practices in the treatment of substance use disorders.
• Ability to provide health and TB clearance.
• Must pass background check and urine drug screen. 

Skills & Abilities:  

• Passion for working with people, even on tough days.
• Ability to treat everyone like they are the only person in the room.
• Good listener.
• Welcoming of differences and diversity.
• Ability to work independently and to thrive as part of a team.
• Ability to take direction and receive constructive feedback.
• Power to stay calm, focused, and kind in stressful situations.
• Organized and detail oriented.
• Reliable.
• Flexibility, versatility, and willingness to jump into new situations and challenges.
• Humility.
• Willingness to share your opinion.
• Courage to stand up for your beliefs.
• Ability to help create a safe environment for patients and staff.

Physical Demands and Work Environment: 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this classification. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

While performing the duties of this classification, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel, bend, use hands to keyboard or type, handle materials used in performing the essential functions of the classification, and reach with hands and arms. The employee will be asked to perform repetitive behaviors (e.g., typing and data entry). The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds (think boxes of paper). Specific vision abilities required by this classification include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing abilities required by this classification includes those which permit the employee to discern verbal instructions and communicate effectively in person, by telephone. While performing the duties of this classification, the employee works in an office setting where the noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The employee must also analyze and evaluate situations and adopt effective courses of action.   

Why Work for Us? 

At Cedar Wellness Center, we share a journey—with patients, our coworkers, and the many communities of which we are a part. Our work is to build connections with individuals and families and to save lives in the process. The cedar tree is flexible in the wind, making it almost impossible to break. It is a symbol of strength and an ancient resource for longboats and shelter. We see these elements coming together in Cedar Wellness—a place that honors the strength that it requires for patients to get help and the adaptability and courage it takes to join them on their journey to recovery.

We support our team through a competitive salary and benefits package and opportunities for continuing education and professional advancement. Cedar Wellness Center staff will also be cross trained to meet the needs of patients and to make each day a success. On-the-job training will empower team members, as we believe the excellence of the clinic and the professional development of our staff complement one another.