Patient Relations Liaison

The Patient Relations Liaison position is a 1.0 FTE, 80 hours bi-weekly, on day shift position. This position is benefit eligible.

This is a mobile position; work is done remotely, but on-site work is required to meet patient requests.

The Patient Relations Liaison serves as a contact for patients, families, visitors and staff for Patient Relations. Primary duties include performing the initial intake for incoming issues (including patient grievances/complaints and contacts from staff), managing grievances and other points of service concerns with low to moderate complexity, triaging cases to appropriate staff, assisting staff/faculty with general inquiries, supporting project work within the department, and any other functions required the department.

Intake work includes, but is not limited to, taking the initial information from patients and families regarding the care provided by physicians and other health care professionals, assessing the acuity of the situation including potential liability, quality of care, hospital policy and procedure, etc. After intake is complete, cases (such as grievances involving quality of care or potential liability) will be triaged and assigned to the site Patient Relations Liaison for appropriate, timely management and resolution. The Patient Relations’ departmental scope includes issues that span across Fairview acute locations, including inpatient, Emergency Department, and off-site clinical areas. The Patient Relations Liaison may also assist with any general inquires that come through the department from patients, families, staff, or the public regarding general care navigation, or missing or damaged patient belongings, etc.

The Patient Relations Liaison may be privy to highly sensitive patient care issues and must always make patient privacy a high priority. The liaison work will necessitate collaboration with a variety of staff throughout the organization and they must have excellent interpersonal skills. This position requires the management of a large caseload of patient inquiries. Once investigation and final case disposition have been determined, the liaison may consult with Patient Relations Leadership to determine appropriate follow-up on issues that require corrective action. Timely follow-up is then provided in writing to patients and family members.

Schedule:

Week 1:

Mon. - Fri. 8am - 4:30pm

Week 2:

Mon. - Fri. 8am - 4:30pm

This position is eligible for benefits! Please feel free to review Fairview's benefits at: https://www.fairview.org/benefits/noncontract

• Field contacts from patients, families, staff, faculty, and others requiring follow up.
• Complete a thorough intake and coordinate appropriate follow up
• Foster open and transparent communication between patients, families, and healthcare providers.
• Collaborate with relevant hospital departments to address patient concerns and facilitate the resolution process, including Legal and Risk Management.
• Relay patient feedback to the appropriate departments and teams to facilitate continuous improvement in patient care.
• Educate patients and their families on available support services, patient rights, and advocacy.
• Carefully document all case management actions and follow up into the departmental database.
• Effectively communicate facts and information to all key stakeholders (both verbally and in writing).
• Provide timely follow up to patients, staff, and faculty.
• Identify opportunities for improvements for complaint, grievance, and service recovery processes, while maintaining alignment with the Fairview Operating System.
• Support Customer Experience initiatives in meeting performance dimension goals and targets.
• Maintain knowledge of and compliance with all relevant laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and standards.
• Ensure voice of patients, families, and other customers are heard and Patient Relations and other staff and providers across the system are responding to their needs and requests in an informed, timely, fair, and ethical manner.
• Identify trends and areas for improvement and make recommendations to drive patient and family experience

Minimum Qualifications to Fulfill Job Responsibilities: 

Required Education:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Experience:

• 1-2 years’ experience handling conflict/dispute resolution or related experience
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and conflict resolution skills
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Experience working with Microsoft Office applications
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Compassion and empathy in dealing with situations and individuals.

Preferred Education:

• Bachelor's degree

Preferred Experience:

• 1-2 years of experience in patient relations or a related field within the healthcare industry.
• Knowledge of healthcare policies, patient rights, and relevant regulations.
• Ability to maintain patient confidentiality and adhere to ethical standards.
• Experience with EPIC or other medical records software.  
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications such as Excel, Word, etc.