Job Summary

The Fresh Food Farmacy program is a program designed at using food as a way to manage health. The goal of the program is to decrease medication needs, increase nutritional education, create access to fresh food and manage health needs thru the support of a multidisciplinary care team. The Wellness Associate I for the Fresh Food Farmacy is an instrumental member of a multidisciplinary team, working within the community providing outreach to patients with medical and social needs. This position acts as a resource to coordinate and manage food distribution in Scranton. Under the direction of the Director, Health and Wellness, this individual serves to facilitate linkage to community and Geisinger resources that will enable the patient to obtain optimal health outcomes and remain safe in the community.

Job Duties

1. *Collaborates with food distribution staff regularly and determines client eligibility based on annual PA Dept. of Agriculture (PDA) income guidelines.
2. *Provides assistance to consumers with food selection and provides nutritional information and other services in conjunction with ADA and nutritional guidelines.
3. Maintains/updates client databases assuring secure and confidential integrity of client records in accordance with Geisinger Health System and food distributor policies.
4. *Develops and enhances public relations and community partnership to increase hunger awareness.
5. *Collaborates with the multidisciplinary team in the development and implementation of the care plan.
6. *Orders food and supplies for the pantry and oversees inventory deliveries from food distributor and community donors; works with RD on site to determine food bank needs, coordinate supplemental food suppliers and develop meal planning tools.
7. *Schedules appointments and performs clerical duties as needed. Support communication strategies in conjunction with the FFF operations team.
8. *Prepares inventory for distribution to consumers using client choice and FFF Rx model
9. *Maintains personal certification in Food Safety and assures pantry facility compliance.
10. Keeps up to date and accurate client and inventory distribution records as required by FDA
11. Prepares and provides monthly service reports to appropriate partners.
13. *Facilitates adherence to treatment plan by early identification and resolution of gaps in care.
14. Communicates all concerns to clinical team and manager as necessary, seeking support and guidance proactively. Provides reinforcement of the treatment plan under the direction of the Case Manager and/or Licensed Social Worker.
15. Builds relationships within the community in order to identify resources that are available to the patients i.e.: DME vendors, Home Health Agencies, Area Aging Office etc.
16. Provides information and facilitates enrollment and/or referrals for associated programs supporting the FFF
17. Provides directional and other general information to patients; as necessary, assures all services have been provided before the patient leaves
18. *Greets patients and families. Obtains all required demographic and insurance information as well as signatures to create an accurate registration record. Responsible for completion of all forms necessary for registration and claims adjudication. Collects HIPAA and Universal Authorization information when required.
19. Develops a thorough understanding and effectively communicates Fresh Food Farmacy initiatives. Supports regional teams, operations, new program design and implementation of new products/services.
20. Develops and implements tools to evaluate the effectiveness of the Fresh Food Farmacy program to manage outcomes.
21. Supports reporting needs, data management and outcomes. Maintains workflows and policies specific to the FFF initiative. Learns new software applications as needed and maintains databases. Coordinates ongoing record keeping and prepares reports as requested.
22. Participates on committees, as assigned, to represent and provide expertise related to the FFF program.
23. Maintains confidentiality of health information.
24. Performs other duties as required or assigned.

*Denotes essential job functions.

Work is typically performed in an office environment. Accountable for satisfying all job specific obligations and complying with all organization policies and procedures. The specific statements in this profile are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements considered necessary to successfully perform the job.

*Relevant experience may be a combination of related work experience and degree obtained (Associate’s Degree = 2 years; Bachelor’s Degree = 4 years).

Position Details

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS:

• Ability to motivate and engage patients and the Health Care Team. Exercise hospitality, sensitivity and compassion for those in need and possess a commitment to serving them.
• Demonstrates excellent organizational ability, self-motivation and ability to motivate others.
• Demonstrates excellent communication and customer service skills. Recognizes and respects the dignity of all people, maintaining client confidentiality at all times.
• Demonstrates the ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences
• Ability to openly address and acknowledge observed issues and concerns
• Demonstrates proficiency in basic computer skills, including accurate keyboard entry of data into relevant computer-based databases and spreadsheets. Demonstrates proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Attention to detail, and ability to be flexible in performing a variety of tasks
• Demonstrates ability to complete projects within designated timelines and the ability to prioritize duties is required
• Demonstrates ability to work independently, set priorities, multi task and provide problem resolution.
• Demonstrates ability to use basic office equipment, computer, fax machine, copier, calculator, etc.

Fluent in both Spanish and English are preferred

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Duties require exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally (approximately 10-33% of shift) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push and pull articles such as files, boxes, and bags of food.
• Varied settings including but not limited to office, patients home, hospital, and community centers.
• Minimal travel required; personal vehicle with mileage reimbursement.
• Day shift with some evening/weekend hours required.

Education

High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED)- (Required)

Experience

Minimum of 5 years-Relevant experience* (Required)

Skills

Interpersonal Communication; Computer Literacy; Critical Thinking

About Geisinger

Founded more than 100 years ago by Abigail Geisinger, the system now includes ten hospital campuses, a 550,000-member health plan, two research centers and the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. With nearly 24,000 employees and more than 1,700 employed physicians, Geisinger boosts its hometown economies in Pennsylvania by billions of dollars annually. Learn more at geisinger.org or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Geisinger values who you are, where you are from, and where you are going. We seek out people of various backgrounds and cultures with unique abilities, non-traditional career paths and ambitious aspirations. We are an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and Minorities are encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability or their protected veteran status. Read more about Our Commitment to Inclusive Recruiting.

Our Vision & Values

Everything we do is about making better health easier for our patients, our members, our students, our Geisinger family and our communities.

KINDNESS: We strive to treat everyone as we would hope to be treated ourselves.

EXCELLENCE: We treasure colleagues who humbly strive for excellence.

LEARNING: We share our knowledge with the best and brightest to better prepare the caregivers for tomorrow.

INNOVATION: We constantly seek new and better ways to care for our patients, our members, our community, and the nation.

SAFETY: We provide a safe environment for our patients and members and the Geisinger family.

Our Benefits

We offer healthcare benefits for full time and part time positions from day one, including vision, dental and prescription coverage.