Patient/Family Representative

Brigham and Women’s Hospital, located in the heart of Boston, and is internationally known for cutting-edge technology and world-class innovation, focusing on patient centered care. Brigham and Women's Hospital is consistently rated as one of the top ten hospitals in America by US News and World Report. 

 

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

Each full time Patient/Family Representative will be assigned a primary clinical service area(s) to support. 

 

1.  Conducts rounds with patients/families on a daily basis in assigned clinical area. Provides back-up support to the clinical service area for the coordination of appropriate patient/family requests and needs.  Collaborates with other hospital services on a daily basis.  As needed, facilitates and refers patients and families to more appropriate hospital services and resources to ensure a smooth transition (i.e. clinical care team, social worker, interpreter, chaplain, etc.).  Is accessible by pager during Center¿s hours of operations.

 

2.  Responds to patient concerns, complaints and compliments for the clinical service area.  Documents necessary information in database and provides effective management and staff feedback mechanisms.  Composes follow up letters to patients and families to convey response to written complaints or compliments. Collaborates with clinical service area management and staff to provide real-time assistance, interventions and/or improvement strategies regarding difficult patient/family situations.  Implements appropriate recovery and recognition options.  Interacts with Risk Management staff on required patient incidents and follows appropriate protocols. 

 

3.  Provides formal and real time service training throughout the institution: responsible for the development, coordination and delivery of service improvement competency learning of clinical service area¿s management and staff.  Identifies other learning needs and/or possible intercultural needs and communicates to Director for response.  Serves as a key contact for educating staff on their patient/family satisfaction data and measurement methodology as well.

 

4.  Assists with the development and/or implementation of service improvement initiatives (organizational and area-specific) and health education efforts within clinical service area.  Participates on organizational and area improvement teams. Identifies service improvement and health education needs and reports to appropriate directors for centralized planning and coordination. Collaborates closely with Quality Management Services staff working on improvement efforts within the clinical service area.  Works with Volunteer Office to create volunteer team to meet the clinical, cultural and language needs of patients and families.

 

5.  Provides coverage for other clinical service areas when required as well as shares responsibility for evening and weekend coverage and 24-hour emergency on-call assistance.

 

6.  Educates and markets the Patient/Family Relation Department¿s services to staff and patients/families of the clinical service area, including patient visits, compliment/complaint facilitation, amenity services, staff training and patient satisfaction project improvement support. 

 

7.  Conducts and/or develops strategies for patient focus groups, interviews, customized surveys, and call back systems as needed within clinical service area to meet patient expectations or understand system, process, or cultural barriers.  Works with area¿s management to design appropriate patient participation strategies for that area.

 

8.  Creates and provides reports on area¿s service improvement efforts, progress, obstacles and patient relations compliment/complaint data. 

 

9.  Maintains department service standards, with particular attention to personal and   behavioral, staff teamwork and patient-staff interactions guidelines.

 

10.  All other duties as assigned.

 

QUALIFICATIONS:

 

1.  Bachelor’s degree required in a Communications or Human Services related field.

2.  Patient Relations experience preferred.

3.  Curriculum development and training experience preferred.

 

SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

 

1.  Requires ability to advocate for patients and families in a complex environment.

2.  Requires excellent interpersonal skills with individuals in crisis.

3.  Requires skills in working with teams to achieve goals.

4.  Requires excellent negotiation skills in a diverse and multicultural environment.

5.  Requires high level of sensitivity to confidential information.

6.  Requires excellent verbal, written and presentation skills; ability to effectively communicate with all levels of the organization (senior management and physician leadership to front-line staff)

7.  Requires superior organizational skills, with ability to function independently and effectively in a changing environment, develop timelines and meet deadlines, prioritize multiple projects, and manage time effectively.

8.  Requires experience working with data and databases.

9.  Physical activity includes frequent walking, periodic assistance with escorting patients in wheelchairs, carrying of patient belongings and training materials

ShiftDay Shift.Required to work occasional Saturdays and Evenings.

 

To learn more about BWH, please apply online at: www.brighamandwomens.org/careers 

(ID # 2175245)

 

 Brigham and Women’s Hospital is an EEO, AA and VEVRAA employer.