Join the transformative team at City of Hope, where we're changing lives and making a real difference in the fight against cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope’s growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and treatment facilities in Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix. Our dedicated and compassionate employees are driven by a common mission: To deliver the cures of tomorrow to the people who need them today.

This role serves as a liaison between patient, patient families and City of Hope (COH) leadership, physicians and staff. The Patient Advocate performs detailed analytical and technical work related to the timely and thorough review and resolution of complex complaints and grievances regarding the City of Hope Medical Center. These include multidisciplinary and quality of care complaints concerning all clinical, medical and operational areas. The Patient Advocate supports the COH mission by demonstrating compassion and patient-centered philosophy within the framework of COH policies.

As a successful candidate, you will:

• Facilitates resolution of complaints/grievances for patients and/or patient representative/agent across the Enterprise and documents per Advocacy Department Guidelines.
• Communicates with appropriate COH Enterprise-wide leadership, physician or others as indicated by nature of concern/grievance and is responsible to craft formal grievance letters on behalf of COH.
• Attend meetings or functions in lieu of manager.
• Coordinates Physician reassignments with sensitivity, maintaining privacy, and following COH Enterprise- wide guidelines.
• Guides the process and crafts patient warning and discharge letters Enterprise wide for physicians and COH. Collaborates with Physicians requesting a patient discharge from COH. Investigating, coaching, and working with the Medical Group to ensure policies and procedures have been followed.
• Works closely with Risk Manager and Senior Director of QRRM on non-patient and patient issues that occur Enterprise wide by assisting in investigations, communications, and follow up with patients, families, non-patients, and physicians.
• Collaborates with COH Social Media Departments to respond to complaints or negative blogs on COH web pages and the internet.
• Collaborates with Physicians, Nursing, Clinical Social Workers, Patient Navigators and Pastoral Care to provide support and direction for patients according to need.
• Participates in patient/family conferences when indicated.
• Participate in Process Improvement activities/projects, participates in weCare service excellence program and COH committees as assigned by Manager, Patient Advocacy.
• Resource for information on COH services and policies
• Possess strong knowledge of medical terminology, clinical practice, COH policies; as well as The Joint Commission (TJC), Department of Health Services (DHS), Center for Medicare/Medicaid, ADA, HIPPA (Privacy) and other external regulations to ensure compliance.
• Demonstrates appropriate sensitivity and judgment in complex situations and collaborates effectively with enterprise leadership, including COO, CMO, CNO, VPs, Physician, department directors, managers and staff.
• Works closely with Human Resources on sensitive patient’s complaints regarding employees and physicians.
• Promotes a culture of accountability with clear structures and protocol for processing and responding to all types of complaints and grievances
• Demonstrates creative problem solving with focus on teamwork and collaboration
• Serves across the Enterprise as a primary resource for staff and faculty education related to complaint and grievance processing and ensures the most positive outcome possible which maximizes patient satisfaction, minimizes liability risks and complies with internal and external regulations.
• Supports Patient Rights and Responsibilities, role model Service Excellence standards and interpersonal communication skills (oral, written and electronic)
• Promotes an environment that encourages ethical practice and concern for the ethical dilemmas, including end-of-life treatment decisions encountered by patients, clinical staff and physicians.
• Demonstrates knowledge and sensitivity with respect to diverse values, beliefs and behaviors of patient and employee populations. This includes tailoring interactions to meet the social, cultural and linguistic needs of patients.
• Create and present reports and data on Patient Advocacy activities.
• Mentors and assists in orienting new and existing Patient Advocacy staff.
• Performs other related duties as assigned or requested such as presentations for new employee orientation, Bi- Annual Report, and other meetings as directed.
• Recommended membership in the Beryl Institute and California Patient Relations Association.

Your qualifications should include:

• Master’s Degree in Social Work, or Health Care Administration, or a Bachelor’s Degree with a California R.N. license.
• If no master's degree, then a bachelor's degree with California Registered Nurse license RN is required.
• 5 years of experience advocating for patients with direct patient contact in a health care setting.
• Preferably: Masters in Nursing. LCSW with the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. 5 years of experience advocating for patients with direct patient contact in an acute care setting.

City of Hope is an equal opportunity employer. To learn more about our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, please click here. To learn more about our Comprehensive Benefits, please CLICK HERE.