But we’re opening four Patient Navigator positions in our Tampa clinics in February and plan to prioritize veterans — especially former medics and corpsmen; what’s worked for you in translating field experience into the advocacy skills we measure (Epic documentation, warm handoffs, SDOH screening) without overburdening onboarding? Also, are there specific certifications or peer-mentor models that have genuinely improved day-one readiness and retention?
Pair each vet with a social worker for a two-week “SBAR-to-warm-handoff” practicum and preload Epic SmartPhrases mapped to a PRAPARE-style flowsheet so SDOH gets captured fast. For a credential that fits advocacy without slowing onboarding, the Florida CHW cert beats pushing early Epic superuser work: https://flcertificationboard.org/community-health-worker-chw/. Would Tampa cover a few paid study hours for that plus a short Care Everywhere/SmartTools refresher?
For February, fast-track CCHW via Florida Certification Board; 1-hour Epic sandbox — sound doable? Certified Community Health Worker (CCHW) - Florida Certification Board.