Patient Advocate, Quality & Risk, Per Diem

Hours: *****************************************

Ensures that the hospital is in compliance with regulatory body requirements for the management of patient complaints and grievances. Position reports to the Director of Quality and Risk. Is responsible to ensure that the hospital is in compliance with CMS Conditions of Participation related to patient grievance management. Enhances patient and family awareness of the institution's responsiveness to concerns. Responsible for problem resolution and interventions, and serves as an internal consultant to maximize patient satisfaction, process and system improvements. Must be knowledgeable in and comply with regulatory provisions concerning patient rights. Collaborates with multi-disciplinary teams to improve patient satisfaction, resolve patient issues, and enhance service excellence. Partners with hospital leadership and staff to promote and negotiate positive outcomes and coordinated care for patients and families. Serves as an advocate for patients and their families and addresses and responds to concerns.

Essential Functions

• Interprets patient rights for patients, families, and staff. Ensures the understanding and adherence by both hospital staff and patients of the hospital's philosophy on patient rights and responsibilities.
• Interprets the Hospital's philosophy, policies, procedures and services to patients, their families and guests, providing timely, accurate, written documentation and follow-up.
• Manages the patient grievance process, ensuring that CMS guidelines and hospital policy are adhered to, and that patients are responded to within CMS designated time frames, with adequate detail to address concerns.
• Manages the daily flow of all patient complaints and grievances.
• Contacts inside and outside hospital resources to obtain or relay information, arrange meetings, gather data, etc.
• Regularly interacts with a variety of hospital executives, medical staff and/or outsiders in a professional and efficient manner.
• Facilitates complaint/grievance committee meetings and takes notes.
• Researches and resolves patient issues as appropriate, following departmental timelines and standards. Answers inquiries and solves complaints with the involvement of appropriate hospital staff members, acting as an intermediary to hospital staff and administration on behalf of patients and their families.
• Interprets Press Ganey and HCAHPS data for assigned areas to assist in performance improvement
• Works collaboratively with staff to implement service recovery initiatives.
• Participates in hospital-wide efforts to enhance service excellence initiatives. Acts as an advisor to assigned areas to develop and implement process improvement initiatives
• Provides patients with information related to appropriate services and resources within Heywood/Athol Hospitals and the surrounding community.
• Assists with the recognition program, processing submissions and helping with events.

Statement of Other Duties

This document describes the major duties and responsibilities for this job, and is not intended to be a complete list of all tasks and functions. It should be understood, therefore, that employees may be asked to perform job-related duties beyond those explicitly described.

Functional Demands

Physical Requirements

Exerts up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.  Frequently reaches (extending hands and arms in any direction), and handles (seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or working with hands).

Organizational Expectations

Behavioral Attributes

The following behavioral attributes are required: achievement motivation, concern for order, flexibility, initiative, self-confidence, customer service oriented, interpersonal effectiveness, teamwork, analytical thinking and information seeking.

Job Requirements

Minimum Education

• Bachelor’s Degree in English, Human Services, Public Relations, Social Services, Business Administration, Communications or related customer experience field. Candidates pursuing Bachelor’s degree will be considered, provided they obtain the degree within 2 years of accepting position.

Minimum Work Experience

• Three to five years of experience in a healthcare institution or in customer relations including demonstrated experience in problem solving, written correspondence/documentation, coordination and interaction with senior staff and the medical community.
• The ability to handle sensitive issues with minimal supervision. Experience in patient relations or other clinical work preferred.

Required Skills

• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated emotional maturity in interaction with others.
• Ability to work independently.
• Proven history of ability to handle sensitive and highly confidential issues.
• Must have proven history of exemplary customer service skills.
• Must demonstrate understanding and be able to communicate clearly regarding patient relations issues as related to quality of care.