What Do Patient Navigators Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for patient navigators?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what patient navigators do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Patient Navigators Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about patient navigators by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Patient Navigators counsel individuals to maximize the independence and employability of persons coping with personal, social, and vocational difficulties that result from birth defects, illness, disease, accidents, aging, or the stress of daily life. Coordinate activities for residents of care and treatment facilities. Assess client needs and design and implement rehabilitation programs that may include personal and vocational counseling, training, and job placement.
Popular Job Titles For Patient Navigators
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Rehabilitation Specialists
- Career Navigators
- Resource Navigators
- Patient Navigators
- Success Partners
- Nurse Navigators
- Care Navigators
- Psychosocial Rehabilitation Specialists
- Direct Care Specialists
- Client Trainers
- Navigators
- Vocational Rehabilitation Technicians
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for patient navigators can be found.
Best Industries for Patient Navigators
Patient Navigators Jobs By Industry
- Vocational Rehabilitation Services: 34.7%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 16.8%
- Individual and Family Services: 14.1%
- Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities: 11.4%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 6.4%
- Outpatient Care Centers: 2.7%
- Other: 13.9%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of patient navigators can be found working in the Vocational Rehabilitation Services sector. In 2022, about 34.7% of all jobs for patient navigators were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (16.8%), Individual and Family Services (14.1%), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (11.4%), Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (6.4%) and Outpatient Care Centers (2.7%).
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What Do Patient Navigators Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what patient navigators do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work patient navigators do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that patient navigators tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for patient navigators, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Patient Navigators
Based on 6,231 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Patient Navigators
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation | 1,752 | 28% |
| Social Work | 1,693 | 27% |
| Case Management | 1,106 | 18% |
| Psychology | 1,002 | 16% |
| Human Services | 962 | 15% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Patient Navigators
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 3,126 | 50% |
| Management | 1,483 | 24% |
| Customer Service | 1,343 | 22% |
| Problem Solving | 1,194 | 19% |
| Coordinating | 1,181 | 19% |
Based on 6,231 job postings related to patient navigators, rehabilitation was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 28% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for social work, case management, psychology, human services and mental health were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for patient navigators, followed by management, customer service, problem solving, coordinating and writing.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation | 1,752 | 28% |
| Social Work | 1,693 | 27% |
| Case Management | 1,106 | 18% |
| Psychology | 1,002 | 16% |
| Human Services | 962 | 15% |
| Mental Health | 944 | 15% |
| Behavioral Health | 560 | 9% |
| Treatment Planning | 534 | 9% |
| Medical Records | 472 | 8% |
| Disabilities | 447 | 7% |
| Medicaid | 435 | 7% |
| Data Entry | 428 | 7% |
| Nursing | 418 | 7% |
| Electronic Medical Record | 397 | 6% |
| Project Management | 393 | 6% |
| Bilingual (Spanish/English) | 382 | 6% |
| Crisis Intervention | 368 | 6% |
| Mental Diseases | 345 | 6% |
| Office Equipment | 319 | 5% |
| Care Coordination | 313 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 3,126 | 50% |
| Management | 1,483 | 24% |
| Customer Service | 1,343 | 22% |
| Problem Solving | 1,194 | 19% |
| Coordinating | 1,181 | 19% |
| Writing | 1,097 | 18% |
| Planning | 1,017 | 16% |
| Microsoft Office | 998 | 16% |
| Advocacy | 959 | 15% |
| Leadership | 826 | 13% |
| Detail Oriented | 823 | 13% |
| Microsoft Excel | 754 | 12% |
| Coaching | 734 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 717 | 12% |
| Computer Literacy | 687 | 11% |
| Time Management | 684 | 11% |
| Presentations | 650 | 10% |
| Organizational Skills | 641 | 10% |
| Operations | 613 | 10% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 575 | 9% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Patient Navigators
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation Specialists | 3,642 | 32.1% |
| Career Navigators | 971 | 8.6% |
| Resource Navigators | 711 | 6.3% |
| Patient Navigators | 942 | 8.3% |
| Success Partners | 466 | 4.1% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was rehabilitation specialists, with 971 unique job postings. Career navigators were second, with 388 postings, followed by resource navigators, patient navigators and success partners.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to patient navigators.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Rehabilitation Specialists | 3,642 | 32.1% |
| Career Navigators | 971 | 8.6% |
| Resource Navigators | 711 | 6.3% |
| Patient Navigators | 942 | 8.3% |
| Success Partners | 466 | 4.1% |
| Nurse Navigators | 436 | 3.8% |
| Care Navigators | 400 | 3.5% |
| Psychosocial Rehabilitation Specialists | 382 | 3.4% |
| Direct Care Specialists | 547 | 4.8% |
| Client Trainers | 301 | 2.7% |
| Navigators | 382 | 3.4% |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Technicians | 561 | 5% |
| Clinical Navigators | 322 | 2.8% |
| Qualified Developmental Disability Professionals | 306 | 2.7% |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Supervisors | 200 | 1.8% |
| Housing Navigators | 131 | 1.2% |
| Eligibility Referral Specialists | 97 | 0.9% |
| Employment Trainers | 253 | 2.2% |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists | 161 | 1.4% |
| Community Navigators | 120 | 1.1% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for patient navigators? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for patient navigators.
How much do patient navigators make?
Patient Navigators: How do you become one?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.