North Coast Health Ministry Seeking Volunteer Patient Navigators

North Coast Health Ministry (NCHM), a free clinic serving the low-income uninsured on Greater Cleveland’s West Side, is seeking volunteers for its patient navigator program.  Volunteers will be trained to work directly with current and potential NCHM patients to engage patients as partners in their health care and facilitate the appropriate use of services.

Patient navigators screen individuals for NCHM eligibility, orient new patients about NCHM services, assist patients with applications for related services including pharmacy assistance programs, contact patients for appointments and referral reminders, and assist staff with utilization tracking and reporting.

“Patient navigators are critical to helping uninsured individuals in our community overcome barriers to accessing the care they need,” says NCHM Executive Director Lee E. Elmore.  “We could not serve the growing numbers of individuals who come to us for care without the valuable contributions of our volunteers.  The patient navigator role will be increasingly important as the health system in our region and in the nation at large continues to evolve.”

Two information sessions for prospective volunteer patient navigators are scheduled for Monday, July 30 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. and Tuesday, July 31 from 9:30 to 11 a.m.  To register for an information session, contact NCHM Volunteer Coordinator Mary Ludwig at 216-228-7878 ext. 122 or via email at mludwig@nchealthministry.org. 

About North Coast Health Ministry

North Coast Health Ministry provides free health care to low-income uninsured individuals and families on Greater Cleveland’s West Side.  In 2011, NCHM served 2,700 patients who had no other route to health care.  With the support of 140 volunteer physicians, nurses and other caregivers, NCHM is able to provide primary health care, specialty referrals, prescription assistance, behavioral health care and social service referrals to the medically underserved.  NCHM strives to be the medical home for its patients providing preventive care and chronic disease management as well as care for acute illnesses and injuries. NCHM’s primary location is at 16110 Detroit Avenue in Lakewood, Ohio.