Patient Relations Specialist, Office of the Patient Experience

The Office of the Patient Experience at UI Health Care has an opening for a full-time Patient Relations Specialist.  The Patient Relations Specialist serves as a patient relations liaison between consumers of healthcare services and the administration, staff and physicians of UI Health Care. 

The Patient Relations Specialist:

• interacts with patients, all levels of management and employees in identifying, evaluating, researching and resolving patient grievances;

• resolves patient complaints and grievances in a manner consistent with hospital policies and federal and state regulations;

• protects and promotes patient rights;

• provides feedback and recommendations in the design and improvement of patient care systems. 

This position requires extensive direct interaction with physicians, top levels of management and dissatisfied patients. The successful candidate must possess excellent verbal and written skills; strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to make formal presentations; excellent interpersonal skills; must be empathetic and patient and possess good judgement.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Serves as a central resource for information concerning patients’ rights and responsibilities.

• Promotes compliance with Joint Commission requirements and federal and state regulations pertaining to patients’ rights and assist with their implementation throughout the organization.

• Coordinates, investigates, resolves and responds to patient/visitor inquiries, complaints and grievances related to the services and healthcare provided by staff and physicians.  This requires the ability to:

  • function objectively in hostile, sensitive and stressful situations;

  • retain/recall and synthesize extensive detailed information;

  • elicit information from poor and evasive communicators and gather and present information in an organized manner, both verbally and in writing;

  • recommend solutions to a wide range of people including patients, visitors, physicians, nurse, managers, department heads, clinic administrators, and senior hospital administrators.

• Promotes confidentiality, respect and dignity for all persons as standards throughout the organization by serving as a resource for staff training and education programs in the College of Medicine, College of Nursing and other relevant colleges and departments within the University of Iowa.

• Provides expertise on customer needs and expectations, and acts to educate and advise staff and physicians concerning these issues.

• Masters an understanding of the mission, policies, procedures and services of the organization, in order to respond to questions and concerns expressed by patients, visitors, staff and physicians.

• Develops a consultant/advisor relationship with assigned clinics and units to build and sustain a patient and family-centered focus and environment.

• Shares responsibility for screening incoming phone calls and triaging calls and inquiries to the appropriate person to ensure a prompt response.

• Composes letters and email messages to patients, visitors, staff and physicians.

• Identifies potential risk management/liability cases and, after initial investigation, prepares a case summary for Legal Services.  At the discretion and direction of legal counsel, the Patient Relations Specialist may continue to serve as the primary contact with complainant to manage a situation where risk is present.

• Identifies potential problem areas (i.e., service breakdowns, staff training needs, communic