At Houston Methodist, the Patient Experience Specialist position is responsible for design, implementation, and evaluation of tools, products, processes/tactics to enhance the patient experience. Responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to, rounding, reporting, staff coaching and training, and unit assessments. The Patient Experience Specialist position will recommend appropriate interventions designed to meet specific patient experience targets and objectives and will prioritize areas of need within the hospital with guidance from local and system leadership. This position will also support the facilitation of performance improvement processes to support continuous improvement in the provision of safe, quality patient care and will work in collaboration with the system patient experience resources to identify and recommend best practices.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Maintains familiarity with the work of clinical staff, physicians, and administration to successfully identify appropriate contacts for project monitoring and data collection.

• Effectively communicates with key contacts to obtain information that relates to strategic initiatives as highlighted by site and system patient experience leadership.

• Promotes a positive work environment and contributes to a dynamic, team focused work unit that actively helps one another to achieve optimal department results. Collaborates with all members of the patient care team by actively communicating and reporting pertinent patient care information and data in a comprehensive manner.

• Conducts self in a manner that is congruent with cultural diversity, equity, and inclusion principles. Contributes towards improvement of department scores for employee engagement, i.e. peer-to-peer accountability.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Participates on committees and task forces as assigned, ensuring that critical objectives are clearly explained, and action items are appropriately delegated. Follows-up on action items as necessary to ensure completion of assignments.

• Partners with clinical and non-clinical areas to develop department-specific programs to sustain a culture of ICARE values, safety and personalized service supporting standardization of the Houston Methodist Experience.

• Provides coaching and training on best practices consistent with handling of patients concerns; coordinates improvement initiatives resulting in enhanced organization/ system's image.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Composes meeting minutes for committees and department meetings as assigned.

• Maintains associated project tracking and accountability systems, creates files, and develops effective presentation tools and/or reports for significant activities. Utilizes technology resources to conduct research for assigned projects.

• Facilitates performance improvement initiatives and patient satisfaction best practices in collaboration with system patient experience resources.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Helps minimize excess cost(s) by assisting and recommending solutions in achieving departmental objectives.

• Utilizes resources with cost effectiveness and value creation in mind. Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks, assisting coworkers as needed.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Represents the Houston Methodist Experience before hospital and professional entities and develops positive working relationships.

• Support system innovative and technology indicatives and processes to improve patient experience outcomes.

• Participates in special projects and department initiatives and seeks opportunities to identify self-development needs and takes appropriate action. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an on-going basis.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• High School diploma or equivalent education (examples include: GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education, etc.)

• Bachelor's degree in healthcare administration, business administration, or health sciences field preferred

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Two years of experience in a healthcare, medical research, or academic setting with an emphasis on project management experience

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• N/A

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Excellent time management skills and ability to work with multiple time-critical priorities

• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs No
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area No
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital, scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2025, will be Houston Methodist's ninth hospital and will incorporate the most advanced technology available from the day the doors open. With 100 beds (at our opening; licensed for 276) and a prime location in the heart of the rapidly growing U.S. 290 corridor, the hospital will be equipped with technologically advanced innovations implemented during COVID, many of them designed to make patient communication with physicians, staff and families the very best and most effective in any health care facility. Even though the hospital won't be fully operational until 2025, we have several services and specialties opening in 2024.