Supervisor, Patient Relations

Supervisor of Patient Relations is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the Patient Relations program/process and will supervise, organize, and coordinate daily operations. This includes triaging patient/caregiver feedback (including inquiries, compliments, suggestions, complaints, and grievances), requiring de-escalation and/or immediate investigation and response. This role collaborates with clinical and non-clinical teams, medical providers, and managers to review feedback, identify resolutions, develop action plans, and draft formal responses to patients/caregivers. Oversight includes adult inpatient, ambulatory, perioperative, and emergency services throughout VCU Health System.

Essential Job functions

- Responsible for patient experience process improvement and behavioral coaching from analysis of complaint volume and trends. Perform Root Cause Analysis (RCA) techniques to determine underlying reason(s) for trends and effectively partners with the area for long-term resolution. Develop and implement best practices to reduce complaint volume and further the culture of patient-centeredness.
- Ownership and understanding of CMS regulations as it pertains to complaints and grievances. Responsible for management, documentation, and timely resolution of all patient complaints per CMS guidelines. Familiarity with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Serves as subject matter expert to meet with Joint Commission during patient complaint investigations.
- Ensures that the employee and patient incident report files are maintained and updated. Accountable for training and monitoring of new staff to ensure continuity of operations and HR compliance. Ensures that personnel are appropriately trained for the job duties they are assigned.
- Provides leadership for Patient Relations team including but not limited to recruiting and selection, hiring and termination, training, professional development, mentoring, counseling, and performance evaluations.
- Ensures accurate submission of time and leave requests and verifies monthly payroll statements reflect submitted and approved time. Responsible for consistently providing the Patient Liaison team with training and guidance, in order that all patients and their families receive exemplary STAR Service.
- Triages, identifies, and resolves patient/caregiver complaints and grievances while meeting regulatory requirements and timeframes. De-escalates highly emotional and/or challenging situations. Effectively make decisions and act without having complete information. Serves as first escalation point for in-person or remote patient complaints.
- Responsible for monthly complaint trend and volume reporting to department and organizational leadership.
- Work effectively and collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams; ability to successfully find common ground when working with groups and/or individuals with diverse perspectives. Leverage knowledge of clinical workflows to create and maintain working partnerships.
- Develop and implement education outreach programs to internal clinical and non-clinical stakeholders on service recovery, CMS complaint & grievance guidelines, and internal complaint resolution process.
- Ensure responsibility and visible commitment of diversity equity and inclusion programs/initiatives through collaboration and implementation of initiatives across the health.

Patient Population: N/A

Employment Qualifications

Required Education:

High School Diploma

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s Degree in Health Care Administration, Counseling, Pastoral Care, Business Administration, Nursing or other healthcare related field from an accredited program

Licensure/Certification Required:

Licensure/Certification Preferred: CPXP (Certified Patient Experience Professional (or ability to achieve professional certification within 2 years)

Minimum Qualifications
Minimum of four (4) years of experience with a focus on patient/customer satisfaction, service recovery, and de-escalation of customer complaints.

Cultural Responsiveness:    
Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias.

Working Conditions

- Periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads may occur.
- General office environment.
- Prolonged periods of working alone.

Physical Requirements

Lifting/ Carrying (0-50 lbs.), Push/ Pull (0-50 lbs.), Stoop, Kneel, Squat, Balance, Bending
Work Position: Sitting, Walking, Standing

Additional Physical Requirements/ Hazards

Physical Requirements: Manual dexterity (eye/hand coordination), Finger Dexterity
Hazards: none

Mental/Sensory: Reasoning, Problem solving, Speak clearly, Reading, Logical Thinking
Emotional: Steady pace, Able to handle multiple priorities

Compensation Range
$21.46 - $33.26
Actual salary offers will be based on several key factors to include relevant work experience, credentials, and qualifications.

EEO Employer/Disabled/Protected Veteran