Patient Advocate

Company Description

Experience the highest level of appreciation at UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center — named Top Workplace in the Baltimore area by The Baltimore Sun two years in a row (2019 & 2020); Top Workplace in the USA for 2021!  As part of the acclaimed University of Maryland Medical System, our facility is one of three ANCC Pathway to Excellence® designated hospitals in Maryland. UM BWMC features one of the state’s busiest emergency departments, as well as a team of experts who care for our community and one another.  The University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center (UMBWMC) provides the highest quality health care services to the communities we serve. Our medical center is home to leading-edge technology, nationally recognized quality, personalized service and outstanding people. We have 285 licensed beds and we’re home to 3,200 employees and over 800 physicians. Our expert physicians and experienced, compassionate staff are connected to medical practices in the local community as well as at University of Maryland Medical Center in downtown Baltimore. For patients, this means access to high-quality care and research discoveries aimed at improving Maryland’s health.  Our physicians and nursing staff specialize in emergency, acute, medical-surgical and critical care. In addition, our medical center is home to many Centers of Excellence, offering expert outpatient health care.

Job Description

General Summary

The Patient Advocate manages the patient and family member complaint and grievance process in accordance with regulatory requirements. The Patient advocate works closely with clinical and non-clinical staff to initiate review and response to patient and family/caregiver concerns, comments, requests for service, complaints, and grievances in a timely and comprehensive manner. As a patient relations expert, the Patient Advocate possesses strong analytical, communication and conflict resolution skills to assist and/or resolve real-time and post incident investigations to ensure transparent and productive communication between the patient/family member and the care and treatment team. The Patient Advocate is an active member of the organization’s Patient Experience team where they routinely collaborate with Patient Experience staff, physicians, nurses and other providers to understand where dissatisfaction, misunderstanding and opportunity exists to improve the experience for current and future patients and caregivers in alignment with the strategic direction of the hospital, concerning the overall patient experience.

Principal Responsibilities and Tasks

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification.  They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by personnel so classified.

Complaint, Interpretive Services, and Lost Belongings Resolution: 

1. Addresses and resolves complaints and grievances by listening to patient and patient family member concerns and complaints; communicates and collaborates with involved staff and managers to develop actions to promote resolution, documents the details of the complaint and outcome resolution in the data management program. Drafts and sends out response letters for grievances within the 7-day time frame to respond and if additional time is required, sends out an interim response letter with projected time frame for resolution.
2. Oversees the search for lost belongings and works with staff to improve the patient belongings management process.
3. Works collaboratively with staff to manage and avoid escalation of complaints by educating and counseling direct staff and managers who observe issues developing; by offering suggestions to resolve potential complaints and modifying practices that cause repeated complaints.
4. Provides follow up phone calls for service related complaints expressed in the post discharge survey calls.
5. Tracks complaints and grievances to identify trends to facilitate service and process improvement.
6. Engages in weekly patient rounding on inpatient units to proactively and promptly address and resolve patient complaints.
7. Provides comprehensive service recovery education to enhance the proficiency of the hospital staff.
8. Oversees and efficiently coordinates Interpretive Services requests to meet organizational needs.
9. Actively engages in Medication Review Panels for psychiatric patients upon request.

Regulatory Requirements

1. Serves and protects the hospital community by adhering to professional standards, hospital policies and procedures, federal, state, and local requirements, and Joint Commission standards.
2. Maintains patient rights by educating patients; responds to pa