Patient Advocacy Coordinator (Hybrid)

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center•Los Angeles, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Under the direction of Patient Advocacy leadership in the Office of Patient Experience, the Patient Advocacy Coordinator supports the Section’s daily activities, with particular emphasis on the organization’s complaint and feedback process. The coordinator serves as a liaison between Administration and complainants or Health Plans, working with collaborators across the organization to coordinate and manage patient complaints and grievances. This includes ensuring documentation, investigation, resolution, and follow-up in accordance with organizational policy and accreditation, regulatory, and licensing requirements. The position coordinates complaints and grievances submitted by Health Plans and admitted or discharged patients, conducts on-site rounds with patients and families, and helps manage high-profile or complex situations as an intermediate link between complainants and management. The coordinator also supports staff training and mentoring, outreach and education about grievance processes, and maintenance and analysis of related data and reports. Other duties may include clerical work and coordination or implementation of processes and programs that support the Office of Patient Experience and Cedars-Sinai.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least two years of experience in a customer service-related position handling customer complaints.

Nice To Haves

Associate of Arts or Sciences degree in business, healthcare, or a similar major preferred; a bachelor’s degree is a plus.
One year of experience in a healthcare setting with general knowledge of hospital systems and functions preferred.

Responsibilities

Act as a liaison among patients and families, Health Plans, Medical Staff Officers, Senior Leadership, service line and nursing management, and other parties involved in complaint and grievance processes.
Conduct on-site rounds and meet with patients and families to address concerns at the point of care, collaborating with clinical staff to document, communicate, and resolve issues as appropriate.
Assess complaints and determine appropriate interventions and escalation to unit management, executives, department chairs, Peer Review, or Executive Leadership.
Coordinate timely and accurate triage, acknowledgment, follow-up, response, and closure of patient complaints and grievances.
Review follow-up responses to ensure complainants’ concerns are addressed, seek additional information when needed, and prepare and sign acknowledgment and follow-up response letters as appropriate.
Collaborate with Medical Affairs, Risk Management, Legal Affairs, the Privacy Office, Patient Financial Services, and other partners to resolve complaints and grievances.
Enter complaint information accurately and promptly into relevant databases, and maintain organized filing systems and database records.
Refer complaints and compliments according to established processes.
Report follow-up findings for MD Feedback cases to Medical Staff Leadership on a recurring basis.
Monitor response turnaround times and document follow-up and subsequent interactions with complainants in the relevant systems.
Educate colleagues about the grievance process and provide guidance on de-escalation, conflict resolution, and customer service issues.
Assist with developing and presenting educational outreach materials, including presentations about complaint and grievance processes, insurance grievances, or CS-Safe data reports.
Provide initial training and ongoing mentoring to new Patient Advocacy Department staff and serve as a role model for exemplary customer service.
Perform other assigned duties, including clerical duties and coordination or implementation of processes and programs supporting the Office of Patient Experience and Cedars-Sinai.