Patient Advocate

Department
Patient

The Patient Advocate is responsible for coordinating patient and family advocacy services by serving as the primary point of contact for compliments, complaints, and formal grievances across the health system. The advocate utilizes independent judgment on complex multi-departmental cases and facilitates timely, professional, and compassionate communication between patients, families, and organizational leadership to support effective resolution of concerns. The advocate is also responsible for intake, documentation, triage, and tracking of patient grievances and complaints in accordance with regulatory requirements and organizational standards.

The advocate serves as liaison authority with Legal Counsel, Risk Management, and Patient Safety for unanticipated outcomes and pre-litigation matters, as well as ensures appropriate routing and escalation of concerns to clinical leadership, Risk Management, Compliance, Legal, and other departments as needed. In addition, the advocate supports the organization in mitigating risk by providing advanced service recovery support for escalated patient and family concerns, including real-time de-escalation, facilitation of difficult conversations, and coordination of follow-up communication between stakeholders.

• Require an associate degree in a relevant field of study, bachelor’s preferred. Additional relevant experience can be considered on a year-for-year basis in lieu of the degree requirement.
• Require a minimum of two (2) years of customer service experience within a strong customer interaction environment, experience in crisis management and/or conflict resolution or other relevant experience within a healthcare setting.

• Prefer previous healthcare experience working in a hospital-based patient relations capacity, as well as experience supporting or coordinating resolution of complex or sensitive concerns.
• Prefer demonstrated ability to meet and communicate with the public in a courteous and professional manner.
• Prefer the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Prefer familiarity working with multidisciplinary teams, including clinical, non-clinical, and administrative leadership.
• Prefer strong computer skills, documentation, and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Prefer a basic understanding of medical terminology.

Sarasota Memorial Hospital was recently recognized again by ranking #1 Hospital in the Region by the U.S. News's Best Hospital report by scoring a Perfect 10! Not only that, but SMH was also designated at a national  standout  hospital for earning top ratings in all evaluated conditions and procedures - an accomplishment achieved by less than 1% of the 4000+ hospitals.

Our system has also earned Magnet® recognition from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), as well as these additional accolades:
Gallup Great Workplace 2018; recipient of an  A  grade for Patient Safety. Sarasota Memorial Hospital is Magnet designated and the only provider of Level II trauma services, obstetrical services, and Level III neonatal intensive care in Sarasota County.

Reputation. Community. Impact. Growth.

Every day, our patients at Sarasota Memorial Health Care System receive a first-class experience in care from a team on a mission to deliver the highest level of care in America. In the process of rising to that challenge, one by one, our people are finding their purpose and feeling their impact. Now it is your turn to see yourself here.

Recognition:

• 5
  - Star Quality Rating - SMH
  - Sarasota is the only hospital in Florida to earn the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' highest rating every year since its inception.
• 50 Best Hospitals - SMH ranked among U.S. News & World Report's 50 Best Hospitals in two specialties, Rehabilitation and Obstetrics/Gynecology in , and among the nation's top 10% high performers in 18 other medical specialties, procedures and conditions.
• World's Best Hospitals - SMH
  - Sarasota has made Newsweek's prestigious list six years in a row, since the global rankings began in 2019.
• 'A' for Patient Safety - SMH
  - Sarasota has earned straight A's since it began participating in the Leapfrog Group's hospital safety survey in 2016.
• Magnet Hospital - SMH has been recognized as a Magnet hospital for the past 20 years by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, a continuous achievement for nursing…