Manager, Inpatient Navigation

Manager, Patient Navigation

At Memorial Hermann, we pursue a common goal of delivering high quality, efficient care while creating exceptional experiences for every member of our community. When we say every member of our community, that includes our employees. We know that when our employees feel cared for, heard and valued, they are inspired to create moments that exceed expectations, while prioritizing safety, compassion, personalization and efficiency. If you want to advance your career and contribute to our vision of creating healthier communities, now and for generations to come, we want you to be a part of our team.

Job Summary

The Manager, Patient Navigation is responsible for leading and overseeing community-based patient navigation initiatives embedded within hospital, inpatient, and emergency room settings. This role manages a team of Community Health Workers (CHWs) who round on patients to assess social needs, conduct Non-Medical Drivers of Health (NMDOH) screenings, and facilitate smooth transitions from hospital to community-based support services. This position brings a psychosocial lens to program oversight ensuring CHWs are supported in identifying, understanding, and responding to complex social and behavioral health needs. This position ensures the development and execution of efficient workflows and operational processes that enable CHWs to coordinate closely with clinical teams, including social work and case management, to reduce unnecessary emergency department visits, admissions, and readmissions. This position plays a critical role in advancing Memorial Hermann's commitment to health equity and improving health outcomes in underserved communities. This role may require travel within the greater Houston area and typically reports to the Director, Inpatient Navigation or the Director, ER Navigation and MVP Programs.

Job Description

Minimum Qualifications

Education : Bachelors of Science in Nursing, Social Work, or related field required. Master's degree in Social Work or related field preferred.

Licenses / Certifications :

Current and valid license in the state of Texas as Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Master Social Work (LMSW), or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).

Case Management Certification (Certified Case Manager or Accredited Case Manager) preferred.

Experience / Knowledge / Skills :

Three (3) years leadership experience working with clinical providers, including but not exclusive to social workers, case managers, community health workers, physicians, and / or nurses required.

Five (5) years of experience in hospital-based nursing, social work, or community resource setting preferred.

Deep understanding of health disparities, non-medical drivers of health (NMDOH), and structural barriers affecting underserved populations.

Knowledge of leading practice in clinical care and payor requirements.

Effective oral and written communication skills.

Strong interpersonal, organizational, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Experience in building collaborative care models that center patient needs beyond clinical care.

Evidence of strong leadership skills.

Knowledge of the concepts associated with performance improvement, business planning and targeted outcomes.

Ability to work collaboratively with and develop rapport with health care professionals, patients, and payors at all levels to achieve established goals and improve quality outcomes.

Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel).

Solid problem solving skills.

Principal Accountabilities

Oversees and supports operations, growth, and development of the inpatient navigation or ER Navigation programs.

Supervises, supports, and develops a team of CHWs who provide patient navigation and advocacy services to patients with complex social needs.

Guides CHWs in trauma-informed approaches, recognizing psychosocial risk factors, and appropriately escalating to clinical partners, when higher levels of intervention are required, beyond the traditional NMDOH navigation.

Collaborates closely with social workers, nurses, physicians, nurses, and care coordination teams to ensure seamless transitions of care and address non-medical needs impacting health.

Serves as a subject matter expert on non-medical drivers of health, navigation strategies, and community resource engagement for underserved populations.

Coordinates with internal departments and external community partners to strengthen referral systems and access to housing, food, transportation, and behavioral health services.

Maintains knowledge of local community resources, public benefits, and population health trends relevant to vulnerable communities.

Ensures the delivery of cost effective, community-based, and culturally sensitive case management interventions and continuous quality improvement monitoring.

Collaborates to ensure patient outcomes that address the values of quality, services, and cost-effectiveness.

Responsible for coordinating day to day operations, drive for results and outcomes, and provide updates to Director as warranted.

Participates in departmental personnel functions (onboarding, performance management, etc.) in conjunction with the Director.

Provides input to annual performance appraisal reviews for the staff in department.

Uses data to drive decisions, plan, and implement performance improvement strategies for inpatient navigation program.

Ensures safe care to patients, staff and visitors; adheres to all Memorial Hermann policies, procedures, and standards within budgetary specifications including time management, supply management, productivity and quality of service.

Promotes individual professional growth and development by meeting requirements for mandatory / continuing education and skills competency; supports department-based goals which contribute to the success of the organization; serves as preceptor, mentor and resource to less experienced staff.

Demonstrates commitment to caring for every member of our community by creating compassionate and personalized experiences. Models Memorial Hermann's service standards of providing safe, caring, personalized and efficient experiences to patients and our workforce.

Other duties as assigned.