Director of Patient Experience

SUMMARY

The Director, Patient Experience, reports to the President of The Miriam Hospital and the System Chief Quality Executive. The Director leads and manages all aspects of improving and optimizing patient and provider experience at Brown University Health to foster a culture of patient‑ and family‑centered care and service excellence. This role is in person and based in Providence, RI.

This role supports system‑wide improvement efforts in patient experience performance as measured through external and internal surveys (e.g., HCAHPS and other voice‑of‑the‑customer data). The Director collaborates with executive leaders, frontline staff, and caregivers-within established Brown University Health policies-to develop, direct, coordinate, and evaluate comprehensive quality improvement initiatives leading to improved patient experience outcomes in all settings.

The Director is responsible for the coordination, collection, analysis, and improvement of patient experience data; collaboration with Patient and Guest Services on complaint/grievance management; and oversight of service recovery programs. The position provides strategic leadership and oversight of change management plans-including stakeholder engagement, communication, education, process alignment, and evaluation of patient experience metrics.

Brown University Health employees are expected to role model the organization's values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence, which guide all interactions with patients, customers, and colleagues.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Patient & Family Engagement

• Collaborates with leadership, patients, and families to develop and deploy a robust Patient and Family Advisor Program.

• Engages patients and families through:

• Focus groups

• Experience shadowing projects

• Advisory councils

• Defines the optimal patient experience and identifies required system and behavioral changes.

• Instills a culture of service excellence, hospitality, ownership, and accountability across the organization.

Alignment with Organizational Initiatives

• Ensures integration of patient experience strategies with:

• Employee/caregiver engagement

• Resilience initiatives

• Diversity and inclusion efforts

• Reviews quality and service issues and provides guidance for improvement initiatives and experience‑based process redesign.

Regulatory & Reporting

• Assists in developing reports submitted to regulatory and accrediting agencies (e.g., Department of Health, Joint Commission).
• Engages with the Quality and Safety division and related committees across Brown University Health.

Resource & Operational Leadership

• Directs effective utilization of resources (people, financial, materials, equipment).
• Establishes departmental priorities aligned with organizational strategies.
• Provides leadership to site and system improvement teams using established performance improvement methodologies.

Data, Analysis & Performance Improvement

• Manages clinical and patient experience data needs.
• Leads teams toward development and execution of successful improvement initiatives.
• Monitors overall performance metrics and communicates results to internal and external stakeholders.
• Responsible for achieving improved performance in all patient experience areas.

Subject Matter Expertise

• Provides strategic and tactical guidance to leadership, staff, and physicians on service excellence and patient experience improvement.
• Advises leaders on evidence‑based strategies to engage frontline staff and providers.

Survey Strategy & Deployment

• Partners with the VP of Quality and Safety to determine need for system‑wide, affiliate, or department‑specific surveys (patient, provider, or employee engagement).
• Develops, implements, and evaluates survey programs and analyses.
• Manages relationships with survey vendors and implementation of their tools.

Strategic Planning

• Participates with senior leaders in establishing short‑ and long‑range goals for patient and family experience.
• Aligns performance improvement initiatives with organizational priorities.
• Supports development of behavioral expectations, standards, standard work, and education related to patient experience.

Data Analysis & Action Planning

• Analyzes affiliate and system‑wide survey findings and collaborates with leaders on action plans.
• Integrates service excellence with organizational competencies and key priorities.
• Prepares results summaries for the Board of Directors and affiliate Boards.

Presentation & Education

• Creates presentations, high‑quality reports, and executive summaries.
• Educates leaders and staff on interpreting results and implementing improvements.
• Leads training programs on service excellence for management, staff, and physicians.

Policy & Best Practices

• Develops and updates policies and procedures to support service excellence.
• Researches and integrates evidence‑based best practices using Brown University Health's improvement methodologies.
• Identifies barriers and collaborates to implement solutions.

Patient & Guest Services Leadership

• Ensures effective operation of the Rhode Island Hospital Patient and Guest Services Office.
• Ensures compliance with regulatory expectations for patient grievances and complaints.

Financial Management

• Prepares and obtains approval for budgets aligned with goals.
• Manages expenditures within agreed‑upon limits.
• Oversees vendor fee management related to patient experience measurement services.

Lean Six Sigma & Improvement Methods

• Ensures successful implementation of Lean Six Sigma tools across the system.
• Develops strategies to promote adoption of Lean Six Sigma principles.

Communication & Collaboration

• Supports dissemination of information for hospital‑ and system‑wide improvement efforts.
• Collaborates with executives and departments across Brown University Health to address improvement opportunities.
• Facilitates and coaches improvement teams and supports implementation of tactics aligned with organizational priorities.

Other Duties

• Performs other duties as assigned.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

• Effective utilization of resources
• Management of continuous quality improvement initiatives
• Improved patient experience survey performance year‑over‑year
• Delivery of high‑quality, high‑value, patient‑focused services
• Resource productivity and fiscal responsibility
• Development and implementation of effective quality programs
• Customer satisfaction
• Positive feedback from peers, direct reports, and staff

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• Master's Degree in Nursing or a related healthcare field required.
• Six Sigma Green Belt certification required or achieved within 18 months of employment.
• CPHQ or other quality certifications preferred.
• Certified RCA Facilitator preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 7 years of related experience in:

• Quality measurement and reporting systems for patient experience

• Process evaluation and improvement

• Patient and family collaboration and advocacy

• Minimum 5 years of experience facilitating small and large groups/project teams.

• Successful record of performance improvement and project management.

• Experience with:

• Electronic health record applications

• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, SharePoint, PowerBI)

• Database development and outcomes management

• Statistical software packages for analysis and graphing

• Strong group facilitation, project management, written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to collaborate and lead diverse project teams.

• Strong critical‑thinking and analytical skills.

Pay Range:

$140,774.40-$232,273.60

EEO Statement:

Brown University Health is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and maintaining a work environment free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment.

Location:

Corporate Headquarters - 15 LaSalle Square Providence, Rhode Island 02903

Work Type:

M-F 8:00am-5:00pm

Work Shift:

Day

Daily Hours:

8 hours

Driving Required:

No