Care Connector

Company Bio
Home and Community Care Support Services South East is one of 14 Home and Community Care Support Services organizations in Ontario with a focused mandate to deliver local health care services such as home and community care and long-term care home placement.

These organizations were previously known as Local Health Integration Networks (or "LHINs") at a time when they also led local health care planning and funding, and those functions are now part of Ontario Health.

Home and Community Care Support Services South East is dedicated to ensuring the ongoing delivery of local services while Ontario makes changes to improve the health care system to give patients better-connected care with health care providers working as one coordinated team in Ontario Health Teams.
The south east region extends from Brighton on the west, to Prescott and Cardinal on the east, north to Perth and Smiths Falls, and back to Bancroft. The boundaries are for funding and planning purposes only. Residents of the Home and Community Care Support Services South East can seek health care services wherever they prefer, inside or outside these boundaries.

Position Summary
This position has a flexible work location of Kingston, Belleville, Brockville or Smiths Falls

CARE AND BE CARED FOR - THIS IS YOUR HOME

Are you an experienced registered nurse, with knowledge of primary care services and other community resources, seeking a rewarding career that cares for others, in a professional practice that cares for you? You’re looking in the right place.

As a Care Connector, you will help patients navigate through a complex health care system and connect people to an appropriate health care provider.

Whether you work in our office, in the community, or a health care facility - you will play a lead role in providing connected, accessible, patient-centred care - and be supported by our collaborative team that includes over 8,000 regulated health care and other professionals.

As a valued team member, your mission will be to help our patients be healthier at home, while you benefit from our supports for professional growth, personal wellness and work-life balance.
What will you do?
- Work collaboratively with patients and others in their support network to gather information to make a successful connection with an appropriate family health care provider based on the patients’ care needs
- Maintain contact with patients on Home and Community Care Support Services South East priority list to keep them informed about prospects for attachment
- Work with patients to help them understand and manage their short and long term health care goals
- Provide information about the Unattached Patients Program, patient rights and responsibilities, and the family health care services available
- Provide information and referral assistance to patients to access alternative community resources (walk-in clinics, after-hours clinics, urgent care centres, etc.)
- Support patients who face a longer wait time in continuing their efforts to find an appropriate provider during the attachment process
- Obtain consent for the gathering and sharing of patient information acquired through the attachment process
- Evaluate patients’ satisfaction to identify opportunities for improvement as well as trends (e.g. identify geographical areas experiencing the greatest access problems)
- Establish and maintain effective relationships with the LHIN, local agencies (hospitals, family health teams), primary health care professionals, and other appropriate agencies to build and maintain an inventory of primary health care professionals willing and able to accept new patients
- Represent the LHIN on multi-disciplinary committees and community working groups;
- Share knowledge, request information and collaborate with superiors and colleagues to deliver effective and efficient patient service delivery
- Assist with the orientation of new staff/students and carries out preceptor responsibilities as required
- Maintain confidentiality and privacy by safeguarding client information in accordance with legislation, professional college standards and Home and Community Care Support Services South East policy
- Initiate and maintains comprehensive service records for each client

What must you have?
- Registered Nurse with current unrestricted registration as a member of the College of Nurses of Ontario
- BScN degree preferred
- Knowledge of primary care services and other community resources in the LHIN, as well as the roles of health care professionals
- Practical experience in diverse and unionized community health care environments
- Understanding of issues and priorities within the health care sector
- Specialized knowledge regarding specialty program(s) assigned
- In-depth knowledge of tools, systems and databases used in client service delivery and management
- Practical knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation (e.g., regarding privacy, the provision of healt