Patient Advocate

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Below, you'll find other important information about this position. This position serves as a liaison between patients/families and the organization. This position provides a specific channel through which patients, families, visitors and the hospital and medical staff can seek solutions to questions, concerns, and unmet needs in an effort to ensure patients are receiving high quality health care. Serves as the point of contact for organization-wide complaints and grievances as well as being responsible for the regulatory requirements of the grievance process. Facilitates communication between departments and providers to ensure timely resolution of patient care concerns. Provides trending feedback data for continually improving the patient experience and patient centered care.

Minimum Qualifications:

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, EXPERIENCE, AND/OR LICENSURE: • Associate degree OR High School Diploma or Equivalent AND Two (2) years in healthcare setting

Preferred Qualifications:

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR LICENSURE: • Associates or Bachelor's degree preferred

EXPERIENCE: • Experience in an acute care hospital setting

Core Duties and Responsibilities:

The statements described here are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be constructed as an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities and duties. Other duties may be assigned.

• Acts as an intermediary between hospital administration on behalf of patients and families. • Channels information about patient care, concerns, inquiries and compliments to appropriate departments and services in order to make recommendations for changes in hospital procedures and policies. • Functions as a mechanism for receiving and responding to patients' and families' complaints regarding the quality of care and service provided. • Investigates each complaint in a timely review process. • Investigates, documents, and resolves when possible, within scope of responsibilities, patient care concerns, needs, and problems. Makes recommendations as appropriate. • Serves as a resource for information concerning patients' rights and responsibilities, advance directives, and special needs. • Facilitates communication between departments and providers to ensure timely resolution of patient care concerns. • Maintains integrity of complaint management database to meet requirements of regulatory agencies. • Uses various measurement tools, integrates data, prepares meaningful reports, and ensures the use of that information, demonstrating how patient experience data affects the way the organization delivers care. • Serves as a resource for language and deaf interpretation. • Works collaboratively with all leaders to further enhance individual ownership of patient and family centered care culture, guiding them to inspire same ownership among all employees. • Reviews and analyzes patient experience survey feedback and works with nursing units and support services department directors and their staff to improve performance and implement best practices, if applicable. • Provides facilitation for the Patient Experience Team, if applicable.

Physical Requirements:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Must meet Department of Labor's MEDIUM duty standard (MEDIUM WORK- exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly).

Working Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Cognizant of environmental factors, infection control issues and maintains a safe environment.

Skills and Abilities:

1. Excellent verbal and written communication skills
2. Possesses ability to deal tactfully and harmoniously with internal and external guests.
3. Ability to organize and prioritize time and tasks to achieve a well-coordinated work effort and to effectively meet work schedules, including an ability to integrate multiple factors which may have an impact on patient care, including variance in human resources.
4. Demonstrates and role models the organizational values and behavioral standards of excellence.
5. Computer skills including Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel.

Additional Job Description:

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 32 Shift: Exempt/Non-Exempt: United States of America (Exempt) Company: WVUH West Virginia University Hospitals Cost Center: 504 WVUH Patient and Guest Relations Address: 1 Medical Center Drive Morgantown West Virginia Equal Opportunity Employer

West Virginia University Health System and its subsidiaries (collectively "WVUHS") is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. WVUHS strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. All WVUHS employees, other workers, and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment.