Patient Relations Specialist

Yale New Haven Health•New Haven, CT

About The Position

Under the supervision of the Manager of Patient Relations, the Patient Relations Specialist resolves patient and family concerns, provides preemptive interventions, and consults with assigned areas to improve patient satisfaction. The role partners with unit leadership on process and system improvements and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements concerning patient rights and complaint and grievance resolution, including CMS guidelines. The specialist works with multidisciplinary teams, patients, families, hospital staff, and medical staff to support patient- and family-centered care, coordinate communication and family meetings, advocate for patients, and promote positive outcomes and coordinated care. The role may also partner with the Grievance Coordinator on the CLEAR disclosure process for significant safety events. The specialist identifies service excellence opportunities through patient concerns and feedback trend analysis. The role maintains patient complaint and grievance documentation and tracking systems, investigates and resolves issues, communicates outcomes, supports service recovery, and recommends improvements to hospital practices. It also provides patients with information about hospital and community resources, assists with volunteer training, and collaborates with safety, quality, Protective Services, and unit leadership as appropriate.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Human Services, Social Work, Nursing, Psychology, or a related field.
At least 3 years of experience in patient advocacy, conflict resolution, or customer service in a healthcare facility or related service industry.
Excellent oral and written interpersonal and communication skills.
Consensus-building, negotiation, and de-escalation skills.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively with other staff.
Technology skills to support complaint management and reporting, including Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint.
Computer literacy and ability to learn software used for patient satisfaction initiatives.
Ability to meet the role's physical requirements, with or without reasonable accommodation, including occasional lifting or moving of up to 25 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree.
Demonstrated experience in problem-solving, written correspondence and documentation, and handling sensitive issues with minimal supervision.
Experience in patient relations, nursing, or other clinical work.
Expertise in statistical interpretation.

Responsibilities

Interprets patient rights and responsibilities for patients, families, and staff and supports adherence to the hospital's philosophy on patient rights.
Responds to, researches, and resolves patient complaints and grievances in accordance with CMS Conditions of Participation.
Explains hospital philosophy, policies, procedures, and services, and provides timely written documentation and follow-up.
Responds to requests for assistance from patients and staff during the hospital workday and works effectively with diverse populations.
Monitors family waiting lounges and rounds in waiting areas to support family safety and needs.
Evaluates patients' perceptions of services, seeks consensus, and serves as a liaison between patient and staff perspectives.
Communicates with nursing leadership about patient and family issues requiring intervention.
Investigates and resolves patient issues within departmental timelines and standards, involving appropriate hospital staff as needed.
Maintains patient-specific files and complaint tracking systems, prepares written responses for signature, and escalates severe or sensitive grievances to the Patient Grievance Coordinator.
Investigates patient property complaints, tracks loss complaints and reimbursements, keeps patients informed, and applies sound financial practices when researching complaints and mitigating losses.
Channels information about patient care concerns to appropriate departments and the Manager, recommends procedural or practice changes, and meets with patients, families, and physicians to gather information.
Collaborates with unit staff to implement service recovery initiatives and advises assigned areas on process improvement.
Participates in hospital-wide service excellence initiatives and unit or service line patient satisfaction efforts.
Analyzes patient satisfaction data and trends to support corrective action.
Organizes and facilitates family meetings for complaint and grievance resolution.
Provides information about appropriate hospital and community services and resources.
Assists with supervision and training of Patient Relations volunteers.
Participates in continuing education to improve negotiating, mediation, consensus-building, and interpersonal skills.
Partners with the Grievance Coordinator through the CLEAR program for significant safety events when appropriate.
Collaborates with the safety and quality team on case review and follow-up when appropriate.
Attends assigned-area Patient and Family Experience meetings and rounds on assigned units to identify potential issues early.
Refers complaints or grievances involving litigation to Patient Relations leadership, Risk, and Legal.
Partners with Protective Services and unit leadership to de-escalate aggressive behavior and assist with limit setting.
Performs other responsibilities and ad hoc projects as requested.