Patient Advocacy, Marshall Medical Centers, South, Full-Time, Days

HH Health System•Boaz, AL

About The Position

The Patient Advocate helps patients and families understand the healthcare system, resolve concerns, communicate with care teams, and ensure that patients’ rights and needs are respected. The role serves as a liaison among patients, families, nurses, physicians, and hospital departments, listens to concerns, and works to resolve complaints and issues at the point of care. The position reports to the Director of Quality through the Patient Experience Coordinator. It also supports development of the service culture through ongoing activities, recognition, behavioral focus, performance improvement initiatives, and education. The role is based at the South campus and is a full-time, day-shift position.

Requirements

Associate’s degree in health administration, communications, public relations, marketing, or another clinical field.
Excellent customer service skills, including the ability to interact professionally face-to-face.
Solid verbal and electronic communication skills.
Exceptional communication skills and a friendly demeanor.
Critical-thinking and problem-solving skills that respect the sensitive nature of patient care.
Conflict-resolution and/or de-escalation skills.
Ability to manage time, handle multiple tasks, and meet deadlines.
Technical competency with Microsoft Office systems.

Nice To Haves

Two to five years of hospital or healthcare experience.
Associate or bachelor’s degree in health administration, communications, public relations, marketing, or another clinical field.
Bilingual in Spanish and/or Haitian.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary contact for concerns referred to a patient advocate on the assigned campus.
Round in patient care areas, including Acute Care Units, the Intensive Care Unit, and Obstetrics, and visit additional areas such as Dialysis, Outpatient Services, the Emergency Department, and auxiliary areas as time allows.
Work to resolve patient complaints, grievances, and concerns promptly and satisfactorily in accordance with policies and protocols.
Help identify and distribute patient experience staff recognition efforts.
Foster harmonious relationships among staff, physicians, patients, and caregivers, recognizing that patient experience is shaped by interactions across disciplines.
Promote awareness and completion of Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems (CAHPS) surveys.
Enter and document complaints, concerns, and resolutions in the Quality reporting platform.
Communicate grievances quickly to the Patient Experience Coordinator and provide timely follow-up when appropriate.
Attend the Physician morning huddle daily to offer advocacy assistance to patients, families, or caregivers who may benefit from it.
Prioritize resolving immediate concerns to the best of the advocate’s ability at the time of service.
Collaborate daily with Emergency Department Coordinators and address concerns as appropriate.
Assist the Patient Experience Coordinator in ensuring CAHPS and Complaints & Grievances requirements are met in accordance with CMS and Joint Commission guidelines.
Support service-excellence tactics and principles to build and develop a culture of excellence.
Assist in coordinating, planning, and communicating the Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC).
Represent MMC as an ambassador and attend external activities when required.
Participate in system-wide patient advocacy team meetings and other assigned learning opportunities in service excellence or patient experience.
Help identify recurring patient concerns and recommend performance improvement opportunities with measurable results.
Provide qualitative feedback to managers during rounds and assist with unit-specific experience goals.
Maintain confidentiality and follow Quality Assurance document protection requirements.