Patient Advocacy Specialist - Emergency Department (Full Time, Days)
: Job Details :

At Our Lady of Lourdes we offer you much more than just a job in the healthcare industry. We offer career opportunities for people who have a calling to share their gifts and talents as part of our healing ministry. As a Catholic hospital, we are here to create a spirit of healing - and we invite you to join our team today if you would like to be part of that spirit. In addition to competitive salaries and generous benefits, we offer you something special - the chance to do God's work by helping to serve people in need throughout our community, every day.Job Summary: This position follows the mission of the hospital by advocating, promoting, and protecting patients and their rights. Plans and implements educational programs about patient rights and patient satisfaction. Coordinates volunteers who assist in the program. Revises and analyzes data collected in the process of visiting patients. The Patient Advocate intervenes in conflictual relationships involving the interests of patients and others in the health care environment; promotes reconciliation, compromise, or resolution. Assists patients in understanding hospital policies and procedures. Ensures that patients are fully aware of hospital services available to them. Works with patients in finding solutions to problems and/or concerns as they relate to their hospital experience. Assists the hospital staff in being aware of the patient's perception of their hospital experience. Assists in sensitizing hospital staff to the need to humanize the hospital experience.* In cooperation with other departments and services, receives, documents, investigates and takes action on all patient/family grievances providing satisfactory resolution and when necessary, legal counsel.* Responses to requests for assistance is provided within 24 hours of receipt.* Grievance letters are sent to patients per policy and regulations and documentation of disposition is available upon request.* Patients, family members and employee focus groups are assembled and facilitated to identify, review and address customer service and employee satisfaction needs and areas of improvement as evidence by records of focus groups, the tracking of improvement efforts and reports on results to Leadership as available.* Assist the Civil Rights Coordinator in the investigation of grievances and complaints from family members.* Action plans are developed and implemented that meet or exceed organization goals for customer surveys (patient, physician, and employee) as applicable.* All regulatory and licensing standards including TJC standards are met through compliance activities with quality control programs.* Assist HR with onboarding, training and development of volunteer program.* Reports any special patient problems to Director/Administration.* Conducts staff and patient education activities such as orientation, in services, and patient care conferences.* As part of the Lourdes and FMOLHS Patient Satisfaction Performance Improvement Team, assists with collection of data of leading indicators, development of measurements and trends and helps with the development and implementation of patient satisfaction strategies and plans across the health system.* All new team members in orientation are presented with information on service Excellence, grievance policies and educational in-services for staff on patient satisfaction.* As requested by V.P., Directors, managers, develops and presents all educational in-services on patient satisfaction.* Follow-up to patient and/or staff regarding disposition is provided as evidenced by an accurate and up to date Grievance Log.* Charts related to Patient Safety, Quality and Risk Management issues are reviewed as requested. Performs other miscellaneous data collection, input and reporting for Risk Management, Quality, Patient Safety, and Patient Satisfaction.* Active participation in performance/quality improvement committees and projects is provided as requested.* Assistance is provided to patient care leadership through attendance at Patient Care Services patient satisfaction accountability sessions in developing action plans and tracking and trending results.* As an active participant on improvement teams, opportunities for improvement are identified utilizing the organization Performance Improvement Plan. Develops reviews, revises and implements organizational and/or unit specific policies and procedures.* Serves as Chair of the Grievance Committee and serves as acting chairperson in the absence of the chair.* Patient Satisfaction reports from the Press Ganey website are downloaded, analyzed, prepared, distributed and presented on to appropriate personnel within specific timeframes.Experience: 5 years of previous health care experience required.Education: BA/BS degree in communications, social services, or other health care related field required.Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: Experience reflecting high level of conflict resolution, problem solving, and interaction with management at all levels. Good oral/written communication skills; Good teamwork skills. Good critical thinking/decision making skills; Good organizational skills and computer.