Clinical Navigator (RN/LPN/LVN)
Position Summary
The Clinical Navigator is a licensed nurse (RN or LPN/LVN) on the Hospice de la Luz business development team. This role positions Hospice de la Luz as a trusted clinical partner to hospitals and physician practices, helping patients with advanced and end-stage illness move to palliative or hospice care at the right time.
The Clinical Navigator combines bedside clinical credibility with a field sales role. You will identify and qualify referral accounts, educate providers and staff on our services, and coordinate smooth transitions of care. This position carries weekly visit and referral-growth expectations.
Key Responsibilities
Account development and territory management
- Identify, research, and qualify target accounts, including hospitals, oncology, pulmonology, cardiology, primary care, and internal medicine practices.
- Build and maintain a territory plan that prioritizes accounts by referral potential and patient population.
- Develop relationships with physicians, nurse practitioners, case managers, discharge planners, social workers, and practice managers.
- Map each account's decision-makers, referral workflow, and barriers to timely hospice or palliative referrals.
- Record all visits, contacts, and account activity in the CRM within 24 hours.
Clinical education and value positioning
- Present Hospice de la Luz as a value-add partner that supports providers, patients, and families through serious illness.
- Educate providers and staff on hospice and palliative care eligibility, Medicare hospice benefit basics, and disease-specific indicators for decline.
- Deliver in-services and lunch-and-learns on topics such as goals-of-care conversations, symptom management, and end-stage cardiac, pulmonary, and oncology trajectories.
- Explain how early referrals can reduce avoidable hospitalizations and readmissions and improve patient and family experience.
- Share relevant quality, outcome, and satisfaction data with referral partners.
Care transitions and referral coordination
- Serve as the clinical point of contact for referral sources, responding promptly to referral inquiries.
- Coordinate with case managers, physicians, intake, and the admissions team to support timely, safe transitions from hospital or clinic to hospice or palliative care.
- Meet with patients and families when requested to explain services and support informed decision-making.
- Follow up with referral sources on referral outcomes and address service concerns quickly.
Market intelligence and team collaboration
- Track referral trends, competitor activity, and market changes, and share insights with leadership.
- Collaborate with clinical operations, intake, and the interdisciplinary team to keep service promises made to referral partners.
- Participate in business development meetings, community events, and professional associations.
Compliance
- Conduct all activities in line with federal and state regulations, including HIPAA, the Anti-Kickback Statute, and CMS hospice Conditions of Participation.
- Follow Hospice de la Luz policies on marketing, patient choice, and ethical referral practices. Never pressure patients or providers or offer anything of value in exchange for referrals.
