Patient Advocate - Patient Relations

Summary:

Ensures that the patients and families cared for in the hospital are treated with dignity and respect and their needs and wants are addressed when feasible, providing outstanding customer service. Serves as a resource for patients lacking family/friend support, responsible for answering patients’ questions and concerns raised to them or identified during rounds. Responsible for monitoring the needs of the patients in designated waiting areas and rounding within inpatient nursing floors and the emergency department to attend to patient and family experience concerns. Facilitates memorable experiences for patients and families, as well as enhances the therapeutic environment. 

Responsibilities:

• Available to patients and families to listen and provide assurance for outstanding customer service. Communicates and acts as a messenger to the appropriate licensed medical professional to assist with the resolution of patient concerns, needs and issues.
• Addresses patient complaints as they arise; documents in the Patient Opportunity Notice Template and follows up with Managers, Directors, Charge Nurses and other appropriate persons.
• Interfaces with the necessary departments for needs of patient: financial, security, lost articles, etc.
• Rounds on all new inpatients providing comfort measures and information when possible and completing documentation as assigned.
• Rounds in designated patient waiting areas and Emergency Department during periods of delays or high volume, providing comfort measures and information when possible.
• Communicates to Case Management for assistance with Living Wills, Power of Attorney for Healthcare, etc.
• The Patient Advocates work together as a team and with clinical associates to assure patient comfort and care.
• Ensures that appropriate Leader follows up with patient or family member as communicated by the Patient Advocate.
• Assists the Charge Nurse, Clinical and Support Service leaders, and Security with addressing issues related to lost patient’s valuables when needed.

Requirements:

Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.

Experience: 

• Five years experience in a medical environment.
• Excellent human relations and oral, written and listening skills required
• Knowledge of roles of each hospital department
• Excellent patient, family and community interaction skills
• Bilingual skills preferred. 

Certifications, Registrations, or Licenses

• N/A

Work Schedule:

MULTIPLE SHIFTS AVAILABLE

Work Type:

Full Time