Patient Relations Specialist
- Tacoma, WA
- Permanent
- Part-time
Patients' and facilitate service recovery through written and verbal communication, will find this position to
be a progressive step forward in their career. The patient relations specialist brings important value to
Franciscan Medical Group, coordinating information from clinic leadership to document resolution of
concerns back to the patient/family. You will influence our Patient Experience everyday! Free parking and no weekends or organizationally recognized holidays required.Job Summary:This job is responsible for coordinating and tracking the timely resolution of customer complaints/grievances for the assigned Virginia Mason Franciscan Health (VMFH) entity in accordance with established procedures and patient experience standards. Incumbents serve as a liaison between patients, families and/or other complaining parties and the appropriate department management to facilitate resolution of grievances, complaints and/or other issues concerning the quality of care and services. Incumbents receive, log, document and track phone-based grievances/complaints for assigned VMFH entity and may direct information to site-based staff for further action. As part of a communications team, incumbents communicate with patients and families following adverse medical events and provide coaching to others on related communications techniques. An incumbent utilizes advanced oral and written communication skills, within scope of position, to support patients and families experiencing the related effects of adverse medical events, including loss and grief.An incumbent serves as a resource to all levels of services and administration in soliciting/researching/responding to customer concerns and complaints. Work includes: 1) rounding on the in-patient population at assigned campus to promote excellent customer service practices as a deterrent to future complaints/grievances; 2) using a desktop database to document/track all customer complaints for assigned facility and to produce reports/metrics as required; 3) meeting with patients/family members to gather/validate complaint data and coordinating with VMFH management staff to identify and implement an appropriate resolution/service recovery within the targeted timeline; and 4) monitoring the status of complaints to facilitate continuous progress towards ultimate resolution.Work requires knowledge of effective methods for addressing/triaging the concerns of dissatisfied patients/families/physicians before they escalate into formal grievances/complaints. Also requires the ability to listen effectively, exercise significant tact and diplomacy in eliciting factual data from sometimes upset/irate individuals and take proper action to assure that customer complaints are responded to and documented in a timely and professional manner consistent with the VMFH service excellence and recovery strategies.Essential Job Duties:Rounds on assigned facilities/departments to assure patients/families’ questions and concerns are answered; resolves, or recommends resolution of, issues within defined scope of position and in accordance with established procedures to mitigate/avoid escalation to formal complaints and promote excellent patient satisfaction.
- Brings concerns to unit managers or appropriate medical directors, serving as a resource for interventions related to dissatisfied patients/families/physicians and supports an environment of proactive service recovery.
- Coordinates the review of patient concerns and provides general consultation/support to coordinate optimal outcomes for individual patient complaints.
- Considers the emotional and informational needs of patients and families following adverse medical events and facilitates access to support systems.
- Serves as a communications team member following adverse medical events providing communication and coaching as appropriate.
- Meets with patients/family members to gather/validate complaint data and de-escalate concerns/issues; coordinates with VMFH management staff to identify and implement an appropriate resolution/service recovery within the targeted timeline.
- Coordinates and/or prepares written responses to complaining parties to communicate/implement approved resolutions.
- Identifies and researches unresolved grievances and escalates to management/appropriate party in accordance with established procedures.
- Works to improve documentation of both complaints and resolutions to provide enhanced tracking and trending.
- Tracks complaints based on indicators/demographic data (e.g., provider, care line, department, personnel, type of complaint, etc.) in order to identify significant trends.
- Assigns proper codes to complaints to facilitate trending and identification of performance improvement opportunities.
- Receives, logs, documents and tracks phone-based grievances/complaints for assigned VMFH entity and may direct information to site-based staff for further action.
- Four years of recent customer service work experience in a clinical environment or business setting that demonstrates attainment of the requisite job knowledge/abilities.
- Associate’s degree in related field preferred.