Inova

Nonprofit health system operating hospitals

Patient Relations Specialist

Medical, Clinical & VeterinaryUpdated on Nov 10

Full-timeVirginia, USA$30.45 - $49.63 /yrIn-person

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's degree is required.
Two years of healthcare or related customer service experience are required.
Must obtain Certified Notary Public certification within three months of hire.

Responsibilities

Act as the primary point of contact for patients and families, addressing inquiries and concerns promptly and professionally.
Provide clear and empathetic verbal and written communication so patients understand their rights, responsibilities, and available accommodations in a timely manner.
Assist team members in communicating policies and procedures within the Inova system to patients and families.
Assist team members and providers in communicating clinical knowledge and care complexities in language appropriate for patients and families.
Investigate complaints and grievances for leadership through detailed reviews of patient charts.
Work with healthcare team members to resolve issues while maintaining respectful and empathetic communication.
Facilitate meetings between patients, families, and healthcare providers to support respectful and constructive resolutions.
Assist with resolution of patient lost belongings.
Provide written grievance feedback according to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services guidelines.
Monitor feedback and relay relevant stories and information to leadership and the patient experience team to improve patient satisfaction and experience.
Identify recurring trends in patient and family feedback, identify areas for improvement, and escalate issues to leadership as appropriate.
Provide insight into possible solutions to recurring patient and family issues.
Provide notary services for patients and families.
Educate patients about available resources, services, and support programs.
Help patients navigate the healthcare system and obtain necessary information.
Educate healthcare team members about Patients’ Rights and Responsibilities, Americans with Disabilities Act regulations, and best practices for accommodating patients with disabilities, promoting inclusivity.
Ensure healthcare providers and staff understand accessible communication methods and assistive technologies.
Assist with writing policies and ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations, policies, and procedures related to patient relations and privacy.
Collaborate with compliance and legal teams to develop and update policies and procedures related to Joint Commission grievances.
Maintain the confidentiality of patient records and information.
Maintain detailed records of complaints and grievances, actions taken, and resolutions achieved.
Collaborate with nursing, medical staff, leadership, decedent affairs, billing, quality, medical records, compliance, safety, patient experience, and ethics departments to address patient and family needs.
Work with risk and legal departments to address patient and family grievances in a timely manner.
Assist with creating and delivering behavioral health contracts to patients.
Work with governmental bodies and community groups, including the Joint Commission, Social Services, the Office for Civil Rights, state and local police departments, and adult and child protective services.
Advocate for patients of diverse backgrounds to receive high-quality care while respecting their cultural backgrounds and preferences.
Provide attestations when necessary for patients without family members or caregivers.
Advocate for and assist patients with documenting advance directives, powers of attorney, informed consent, and end-of-life care preferences.
Help patients navigate financial services and insurance regulations and resolve payment errors.

Desired Qualifications

Clinical and/or administrative experience in a hospital setting is preferred.
Patient advocacy experience is preferred.

The Patient Relations Specialist is a critical role in ensuring positive interactions between Inova and our patients and families. This position is responsible for resolving patient concerns, complaints and grievances, providing excellent customer service by serving as a liaison between our teams and our patients and loved ones. Included in this advocate role is significant subject matter expertise to ensure our organization is compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other governing bodies. Patient Relations Representatives will have ongoing training and education to stay updated on changes in healthcare regulations and best practices. Their expertise in these areas can contribute to better patient experiences, compliance with regulations, and the overall quality of healthcare services provided by the organization.

Job Responsibilities

Patient Communication:
- Act as the primary point of contact for patients and their families, addressing inquiries and concerns promptly and professionally.
- Provide clear and empathetic verbal and written communication to patients, ensuring they understand their rights and responsibilities and all accommodations available in a timely manner.
- Assists team members in communicating to patients and families policies/procedures within the Inova system.
- Assist team members and providers in effectively communicating clinical knowledge and complexities of care into language appropriate for the receiver (patient and/or family).
Complaint Mediation and Resolution:
- Performs thorough investigations of complaints and grievances for leadership through detailed reviews of patient’s chart.
- Works closely with healthcare team members to resolve issues while ensuring respectful and empathetic communication.
- Facilitates meetings between patients, families, and healthcare providers, ensuring a respectful and constructive resolution.
- Assists with patient lost belongings and resolutions.
- Provides written feedback for grievances according to CMS guidelines.
Patient Satisfaction:
- Monitor feedback and relay stories and information to the appropriate leadership and patient experience team to enhance patient satisfaction and improve the overall patient experience.
- Identifying common trends in patient/family feedback to specific areas for improvement and escalate to leadership as appropriate.
- Provide insight to possible solutions to trends in patient and family issues.
- Provide notary services for patients and families.
Education and Support for Patients and Team Members:
- Educate patients about available resources, services, and support programs.
- Assist patients in navigating the healthcare system and obtaining necessary information.
- Educate healthcare team members on Patients’ Rights and Responsibilities, ADA regulations and best practices for accommodating patients with disabilities and promote a culture of inclusivity.
- Ensure that healthcare providers and staff are knowledgeable about accessible communication methods and assistive technologies.
Policy Development:
- Assist in writing policies and compliance with healthcare regulations, policies, and procedures related to patient relations and privacy.
- Collaborate with the compliance and legal teams to develop and update policies and procedures related to Joint Commission grievance.
Data Management:
- Maintains the confidentiality of patient records and information.
- Maintain detailed records of complaints and grievances, with all actions taken, and resolutions achieved.
Collaboration:
- Collaborate with other departments, including nursing, medical staff, leadership, decedent affairs, billing, quality, medical records, compliance, safety, patient experience and ethics to address the needs of our patients and their families.
- Works with the risk and legal department to appropriate address patient/family grievances in a timely manner.
- Assists with creating and delivering behavioral health contracts to patients.
- Works with governmental bodies and community groups such as Joint Commission, Social Services, Office of Civil Rights, state and local police departments, adult and child protective services.
Advocacy:
- Advocate for patients of diverse backgrounds to receive the highest quality care while respecting their individual cultural backgrounds and preferences.
- Provide attestations when necessary for patients without family or caregivers.
- Advocating and assisting patients with documenting Advance Directives, Power of Attorney, Informed Consent, and their preferences for end-of-life care.
- Assist patients navigate financial services and insurance regulations and resolve pay errors.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s degree
Experience: Two years of healthcare or related customer service experience
Certification: Certified Notary Public within 3 months of hire

Preferred Qualifications:

Clinical and/or administrative experience in the hospital setting
Patient advocacy experience

Salary Range: $30.45-$49.63

Pay Rate Frequency: ANNUAL

About the Company

Inova

Nonprofit health system operating hospitals

Inova Health System is a nonprofit healthcare network based in Falls Church, Virginia, providing a broad range of medical services across hospitals, outpatient clinics, assisted living, and long-term care facilities in Northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. metro area. Its hospitals have Magnet status, indicating high nursing quality, and the system emphasizes care delivery as well as medical research and education through clinicians and scientists. The organization’s operations rely on reinvesting earnings into its mission rather than distributing profits to shareholders, with the Inova Health Foundation supporting fundraising and philanthropy to expand services, research, and training. Overall, Inova aims to improve community health by delivering patient care, advancing medical knowledge, and educating the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Company size: Not listed
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: $422.8M
Headquarters: Falls Church, VA
Founded: 1956

Recently Posted Jobs

Explore more opportunities at Inova

See more jobs