Program Manager of Patient Experience Improvement & Innovation

Be a part of a world-class academic healthcare system, UChicago Medicine, as the Program Manager of Patient Experience Improvement & Innovation for Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, IL. Here, you serve as the internal expert of our patient experience initiatives for the entire community hospital. You’ll partner closely with our inpatient clinical leadership team to drive positive outcomes serving the south suburbs of Chicago. Patient Experience continues to remain a large focus of our business, and we seek a passionate individual that will be able to build, coach, and drive positive experiences across the hospital.

As a member of the Ingalls team, you’ll be part of a health care organization that’s a beloved and reassuring presence in its South Suburban community. We’re making UChicago Medicine’s forefront of care available to a growing number of patients and their families, and continually pioneering more effective community-based approaches to acute, chronic, and preventive care. We’re relentless advocates for our community’s economic resilience as well, using our voice to attract more investment and more opportunities for the people we serve.

Our success depends on creating positive healthcare experiences for those that we provide service to. The Program Manager of Patient Experience Improvement & Innovation will be responsible for setting and executing our patient experience improvement and innovation programs for Ingalls Memorial Hospital. In this role you will: develop and maintain a programmatic approach to experience improvement through leadership partnerships, staff engagement, coaching and advisory functions to integrate best practices that effectively focuses on continuous service improvement. The Program Manager leads the strategic deployment of programmatic solutions related to communication programs and interactive patient care technology innovation, to name a few. They will provide change management guidance and leadership in enterprise-wide improvement strategies. Oversight of direct and indirect reports in the coaching program, this role would also be responsible for integrating patient voice throughout our E4 transformational efforts and optimize the use of innovative solutions to advance patient experience outcomes.

E4 Leadership (Equity, Engage, Evolve, Excel) is a patient centered management system that empowers teams to improve on a daily basis. This is done through daily readiness huddles, real time process monitoring, performance review huddles and structured problem solving. E4 Leadership is an evolving system where leaders work together to cultivate a culture of equity and continuous improvement that enables:

• Each person to realize their full potential for contribution
• The organization to achieve high performance outcomes
• System-wide integration, coordination, and seamless execution
• Clear focus on exceptional, equitable patient care and experiences

Essential Job Functions:

• Serve as a champion for patient experience across UChicago Medicine – Ingalls Memorial Hospital. Partner with leadership to assess and remediate opportunities for programmatic experience improvement. Drive large-scale patient experience communication programs to various audiences through the integration of improvement initiatives. Build leadership/stakeholder partnerships and maintain their engagement by providing project management and change management expertise. Serve as a coach and advisor to inpatient leaders to demonstrate appreciative inquiry, staff recognition efforts through institution-wide programs, and integrate all patient voice feedback to shape improvement strategies.
• Adopt and administer a strength-based communication program in coaching providers, senior leadership and staff to create exceptional experiences. Function as a lead coach in the enterprise-wide program for enhancing therapeutic relationships with expectations of facilitating workshops, conducting observational coaching sessions, and advancing the department through a strength-based lens within daily management activities to build trust and loyalty with patients and families and drive a culture of caring.
• Proficient in data analysis, patient experience subject matter expert, and the creation of the story to bring forth further advancements in experience. Skilled at anticipating experience outcomes, cycles, and workflow adjustments for continuous service improvement. Accountable for driving outcomes in collaboration with key stakeholders with responsibility in monitoring functional unit outcomes to then change practices and approaches accordingly.
• Manage team of direct and indirect staff from the PEEPs program as well as the therapeutic relationships coaches’ program in order to elevate service, build trust and loyalty with patients and families and drive a culture of caring throughout the enterprise, accomplished through daily operational management, performance evaluations and mentorship.
• Lead the identification, due diligence, and innovation of integrated technology for patient and family engagement through optimization practices and partnerships with leaders and staff.
• Serve as a coach to enhance efforts to align innovation with maximizing patient experience outcome measures. Serve as subject matter experts on committees for integration of patient engagement.
• Deploy awareness and processes for advancing the inclusion of patient voice in enterprise-wide improvement and sustainment strategies. Partner with service line leaders to align strategies across for optimal performance and partner with clinical, financial and operational data analysts to provide strategic insights and recommendations for further exploration.
• Maintain current patient experience knowledge and experience to create space and opportunity to knowledge share externally and keep current on industry best practices.
• Performs other duties assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in the health, hospitality, or business field
• At least 3 years of project management and change management experience, ideally within a healthcare/hospital setting
• Direct experience working with HCAHPS survey performance improvement
• In-depth knowledge and experience of a health system
• Demonstrated strong project management, time management, analytical, and organizational skills
• Interest in managing multiple projects/initiatives simultaneously
• Ability to build trusting relationships with leadership and lead through influence
• Exceptional skills in facilitation, presentation, communication and relationship management
• Ability to motivate and engage team members

Preferred Qualifications:

• A master’s degree in the health, hospitality, or business field
• Prior work history as a clinical professional
• Certification as a professional coach

Position Details:

• Job Type/FTE: Full-time (1.0) FTE
• Shift: Days
• Work Location: Hyde Park
• Unit/Department: Patient Experience
• CBA Code: Non-Union

Why Join Us

UChicago Medicine is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status and other legally protected characteristics.

Must comply with UChicago Medicine’s COVID-19 Vaccination requirement as a condition of employment. If you have already received the vaccination, you must provide proof as part of the pre-employment process. This is in addition to your compliance with the Flu Vaccination requirement as well. Medical and religious exemptions will be considered consistent with applicable law. Lastly, a pre-employment physical, drug screening, and background check are also required for all employees prior to hire.

Compensation & Benefits Overview

UChicago Medicine is committed to transparency in compensation and benefits. The pay range provided reflects the anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position.

The pay range is based on a full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) and is reflective of current market data, reviewed on an annual basis. Compensation offered at the time of hire will vary based on candidate qualifications and experience and organizational considerations, such as internal equity. Pay ranges for employees subject to Collective Bargaining Agreements are negotiated by the medical center and their respective union.

Review the full complement of benefit options for eligible roles at Benefits - UChicago Medicine.