Patient Relations Specialist

Yale New Haven Health · New Haven, CT · 2 mo ago

On-siteOTHRFull-time

About the role

Under the supervision of the Manager of Patient Relations, the Patient Relations Specialist is responsible for problem resolution, preemptive interventions, and serving as an internal consultant to assigned areas for maximizing patient satisfaction. The role involves partnering with unit leadership on process and system improvements while ensuring compliance with regulatory provisions concerning patient rights, including those set by CMS, the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health, and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).

The Patient Relations Specialist collaborates with multi-disciplinary teams to create a patient and family-centered care environment, resolve patient and family issues, and enhance patient service excellence. They serve as an advocate for patients and their families, partnering with hospital staff at all levels to promote positive outcomes and coordinated care.

Responsibilities

Interprets patient rights for patients, families, and staff, ensuring adherence to the hospital's philosophy on patient rights and responsibilities.
Represents administration in responding to, researching, and resolving patient complaints and grievances following CMS guidelines.
Interprets the hospital's philosophy, policies, procedures, and services to patients, families, and guests, providing timely documentation and follow-up.
Works effectively with a diverse patient and staff population, responding to calls for assistance during the hospital workday.
Monitors and assists staff with family waiting lounges to ensure safety and meet family needs.
Identifies and evaluates patient perceptions of services, striving for consensus and promoting meaningful relationships with hospital staff.
Communicates with nursing leadership to identify patient and family issues requiring intervention.
Researches and resolves patient issues, acting as an intermediary between patients, families, and hospital staff.
Maintains patient-specific files and complaint tracking systems, formulating written responses and escalating severe grievances as needed.
Investigates and resolves patient property issues, including lost property complaints, while exercising sound financial management.
Channels data on patient care concerns to appropriate departments to recommend procedural or practice changes.
Collaborates with unit-based staff to implement service recovery initiatives and advises on process improvements.
Performs statistical analysis of patient satisfaction data and supports trend analysis for corrective action.
Organizes and facilitates family meetings for complaint and grievance resolution.
Provides patients with information on hospital services and community resources.
Assists with supervision and training of Patient Relations volunteers.
Participates in continuing education to improve negotiation, mediation, and interpersonal skills.
Partners with the Grievance Coordinator on the CLEAR disclosure process for significant safety events.
Collaborates with the safety and quality team for case review and follow-up.
Attends Patient and Family Experience meetings and rounds on assigned units to identify potential issues early.
Refers litigation-related complaints or grievances to leadership, risk, and legal teams.
Partners with Protective Services and unit leadership to de-escalate aggressive behavior and implement limit-setting.
Performs other responsibilities and ad hoc projects as requested.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required in Human Services, Social Work, Nursing, Psychology, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.
Minimum of 3 years of experience in patient advocacy, conflict resolution, or customer service at a healthcare facility or related service industry.
Demonstrated experience in problem-solving, written correspondence/documentation, and handling sensitive issues with minimal supervision.
Experience in patient relations, nursing, or other clinical work preferred.

Skills

Excellent interpersonal and communication (oral and written) skills.
Consensus-building and conflict resolution skills, including the ability to diffuse charged situations.
Strong negotiating skills and ability to work independently or collaboratively.
Competency in technology for patient complaint management and reporting (e.g., Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint).
Computer literacy with the ability to learn new software for patient satisfaction initiatives.
Expertise in statistical interpretation is strongly preferred.

Physical Demand

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. They are frequently required to reach with hands and arms, stand, and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Incumbents and applicants who become disabled must be able to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation, as determined on a case-by-case basis.