Title: Patient Advocate, Medication Access Specialist        

Employment Status:  Full-time    

Target start date: June 24, 2024 

About the Organization:  

ASHwell is a sexual health and wellness center established in Austin, TX in the late 1980s.  We are passionately committed to diversity, equity, and belonging. We strive to provide a safe discrimination-free space for all and predominantly serve LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities. Our approach to sexual health and wellness is rooted in being proudly sex and kink positive, pro-sex worker, pro-harm reduction and anti-stigma. We are a growing organization looking for values-aligned, pro-sexual health and wellness people to join our team! 

Position Overview: 

Patient Advocate, Medication Access Specialist will play a vital role in ensuring patients' access to medications and financial assistance. This role’s responsibilities include facilitating financial assistance programs, coordinating prescriptions and tracking medication adherence, assisting patients with paperwork, and scheduling appointments. By efficiently managing these tasks, they will contribute to improving patient outcomes and enhancing patient’s overall healthcare experience. 

Core Responsibilities 

• Prescription Coordination and Medication Tracking - 40% 

• • Coordinates with Pharmacies to ensure patients received their medication  

  • Communicate with health insurance providers to ensure that patients receive the appropriate benefits  

  • Maintains a spreadsheet tracking medication access and detailing delivery of PrEP/PEP/HIV/HCV medications.  

• Coordinating Patient Appointments- 20% 

• • Coordinates patient appointments and maintains a system for recording patient follow-up appointments, tracking no-show appointments, and monitoring the number of active patients.  

• Financial Assistance -   20% 

• • Enrolls patient in foundation and other prescription assistance programs  

  • Makes sure that PrEP/HIV/HCV medications are acquired at no cost to the patient  

• Assisting Patients with Paperwork – 10% 

• • Assists in completing prior authorizations, insurer records requests, insurance opt-out processes, patient assistance programs, and other patient documentation, as needed  

• Baseline - 10% 

• • Participate in all required staff meetings and retreats 

  • Maintain up-to-date calendar and work plan 

  • Utilize org - wide systems and protocols for all agency business 

  • Offer at least 24 hours' notice for internal meeting cancellations/rescheduling 

  • Maintain chain of command for internal communications  

About You 

The ASHwell Patient Advocate, Medication Access Specialist is a detail-oriented initiative taker who thrives in a culturally sex positive and kink loving space. They are excited to be part of the movement to End the HIV Epidemic. They are passionate about expanding access to care and making sure that no one falls through the cracks in the system. Keenly aware of unique patient needs and challenges, the Patient Advocate is happy to walk a patient through whatever step is causing them difficulty. They are a detail-oriented people who easily form connections with those around them and have a gift for “getting everyone on the same page”.  They can connect their role and its responsibilities to the bigger picture of ASHwell’s mission.  

Required Qualifications:  

• Lives in Austin, TX or within the greater Austin Metro Area or willing to relocate 

• Baseline understanding of gender pronouns, pro sex culture and HIV de-stigmatization and/or willingness to learn 

• Aligned with ASHwell’s values 

• Exceptional customer service skills  

• Strong communication and written skills, as well as a demonstrated ability to work effectively with diverse staff and populations   

• Demonstrated ability to coordinate the provision of direct social services, problem-solve, and optimize service delivery systems   

• Ability to work independently, multitask, and prioritize workload to meet deadlines   

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills    

• Ability to read, analyze, and convey complex information  

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Fluent in the language and culture of the public sexual health sector (already knows our jargon) 

• Knowledge of the health disparities spectrum of HIV/STIs, health literacy, harm reduction theory, behavior modification theory, human sexuality, substance use and addiction, outreach strategies, health and social concerns of individuals most impacted by HIV/STI transmission   

• Experience working or volunteering in HIV/STI prevention or other community health programs, especially PrEP/PEP, HIV and or HCV treatment   

• Bi-lingual English and Spanish speaking, including medical interpretation   

• Experience working with EHRs  

• Experience conducting Motivational Interviewing    

Our Hiring Process 

The start date for this position is June 24, 2024. Applications are due no later than midnight CT on April 5, 2024. We are committed to offering the support, time and resources necessary to on-board and orient to the role.   

Timeline 

• Applications Due April 5, 2024  

• Invitations to interview: April 26, 2024 

• Round 1 Interviews: week of April 29-May 10  

• Round 2 interviews: May 13-24  

• Final interviews: May 28-31  

• Goal date for offers: June 3-7  

• Position start date June 24, 2024  

ASHwell uses a cohort onboarding model. The start date is a group orientation day for hires across the organization. 

EOE STATEMENT 

As an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer, ASHWell is committed to creating an inclusive environment that values the diversity of its employees and does not discriminate against any employee or candidate. Women, minorities, veterans, people from the LGBTQ2SAI communities and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply to join our teams. Reasonable accommodation to access job openings or to apply for a job is available.