Program Manager Patient Relations - Public Relations

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – San Marcos, which originated in 1923 as Hays County Soldiers, Sailors and Marines Memorial Hospital, opened at its current Wonder World Drive location in 1983. Our staff of more than 700 Associates works with more than 300 active and consulting physicians to provide quality services to patients and their families. For more than 20 consecutive years, we have been named The Best Hospital in Hays County in the annual “Best of Hays” publication released by the San Marcos Daily Record. In addition to interventional cardiac services, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – San Marcos is a Certified Chest Pain Center and an accredited Primary Stroke Center. We lead the region in da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery and offers a variety of specialty care services including medical imaging, rehabilitation, hospice, women’s services and more. 

Summary:

The patient relations and safety coordinator contributes to the quality and safety of health care delivery by serving as a as a single point of contact for the patient/family when a concern involves multiple departments/units, answering questions, assuring their concerns are addressed, and compassionately guiding them through their hospital experience. This position is responsible for facilitating the investigation and resolution of patient/family complaints/grievances that cannot be resolved at the point of care. This position is also responsible for assuring that any grievance is addressed in compliance with regulatory requirements. In addition, this position is responsible for advocating for patients by providing information on the patient/family involvement in their care and on the mechanisms for reporting a safety/care concern. This position is also responsible for the facilitation of performance improvement processes and patient safety initiatives to support continuous improvement in the provision of safe, quality patient care throughout CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care. This position will monitor and coordinate responses to assigned regulatory compliance issues related to performance improvement and patient safety.

Responsibilities:

• Enhance the quality and safety of patient care through complaint management. 
• Initiate documentation of complaints/grievances not resolved at the point of care and provide follow-up to patients/families according to regulatory requirements. The patient representative collaborates with management, associates, and physicians to facilitate the resolution of the patient/family compliant/grievance. 
• Assure that responses to complaints/grievances adhere to all applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and criteria as mandated by governing agencies (TJC, CMS, and HIPAA) and by CHRISTUS Health and CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Policy. 
• Recognize and reports any patient complaint/grievance that is a potential and/or real risk issue to Risk Management for appropriate follow-up. 
• Recognize and report any patient complaint/grievance that is a quality of care concern to the Quality Improvement Department for appropriate follow-up. 
• Interact and collaborate with Physician Services staff and Medical Staff leadership to address patient/family concerns involving physicians.
• Aggregate and analyze patient complaint/grievance data to identify potential system or process issues, and collaborate with the PI Coordinator and the Performance Improvement and Patient Safety Committee to address the identified opportunity. 
• Actively participate in the Patient Grievance Committee, including the provision of data regarding complaint/grievance management and presentation of cases for review/input. 
• Actively participate in the Quality and Patient Safety Committee, including the provision of data regarding complaint/grievance management and presentation of cases for review/input.
• Provide support to the health care team by conducting rounds to assess and/or identify patient care issues, complaints, and/or needs. Promote teamwork within the healthcare team by participating in patient/family conferences, discharge planning meetings, staff meetings, and committee meetings as needed. 
• Promote patient satisfaction and survey process by collaborating with facility leadership and PI projects related to Patient Satisfaction. 
• Serve as the facility HCAHPS contact for patients who have questions regarding their HCAPHS survey and maintain a log of all calls received per CMS requirements. 
• Participates in education regarding Core Measures, National Patient Safety Goals and identified Performance Improvement and Patient Safety Initiatives
• Support nursing specific Performance Improvement Teams with observation, surveillance and auditing of indicated metrics and/or compliance.
• Demonstrates competence to perform assigned responsibilities is a manner that meets the population-specific and developmental needs of the members served by the department. 
• Support nursing leaders in faciliation of unit/department specific PI Plans.
• Appropriately adapts assigned assessment, treatment, and/or service methods to accommodate the unique physical, psychosocial, cultural, age-specific and other developmental needs of each member served. 
• Takes personal responsibility to ensure compliance with all policies, procedures and standards as promulgated by state and federal agencies, the hospital, and other regulatory entities.
• Performs all duties in a manner that protects the confidentiality of patients and does not solicit or disclose any confidential information unless it is necessary in the performance of assigned job duties.
• Demonstrates adherence to the CORE values of Santa Rosa Health Care. 
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements:

Experience/Skills

• Nursing-LVN/RN
• Knowledge of Windows, Internet, E-mail, Meditech, Microsoft Word and Word Perfect and other software is required. Computer skills necessary to access Patient Compliant Form using demographic information from the Meditech Program to process patients and families concerns. Familiar with word processing software for internal and external correspondence. Internet skills required to support patient satisfaction program.
• Other office machine equipment knowledge required, i.e. fax machines and copiers.
• Understands the complexity of the health care environment. Organizational ability necessary to effectively coordinate a variety of detailed oriented activities simultaneously.
• Possesses professional interpersonal communication skills (verbal and written). Demonstrates diplomatic problem-solving abilities while working with multiple departments. 5. Establishes priorities accurately and effectively in meeting the needs of patients and families. Able to identify problems and implement solutions relative to customer service. Respects confidentiality of patients, families and their records.

Experience

• At least three years experience in the health care environment in a position that provided interaction and problem solving situations with patients and families, management team members, administration and physicians.

Licenses, Registrations, or Certifications

• Licensed Vocational Nurse/Registered Nurse with a valid Texas license required
• Other:
  • May be required to work hours other than those normally scheduled.
  • Bilingual skills (English/Spanish) strongly preferred.
  • Must hold (or obtain within 60 days of hire) Notary Public Commission in the State of Texas to provide services, patients, families, associates and physicians.

Work Schedule:

5 Days - 8 Hours

Work Type:

Full Time