Patient Representative

Patient Representatives can be found anywhere there are medical patients. This means they can work at a hospital, nursing home, or public health clinic. The Patient Representative’s role in any of these places is to act as a mediator or liaison between a patient and the medical organization. As the Patient Representative, you handle any complaints or problems a person might have with the care they got.

The first thing you should know about this job is that it’s not a legal one, and even though you’re employed by the medical center, it’s your responsibility to be completely neutral in the issue. Patients call your office when they have a problem with the treatment they received, are confused about a policy, or want to report a staff member for unethical behavior. You help them resolve the issue by doing things like explaining hospital policies or connecting them with the hospital’s ethics committee, and then helping them as they file a formal complaint.

When not handling specific problems, you work to keep future issues from happening. To do this, you conduct patient surveys to see how happy they were with the care they received, interview family members about how helpful staff members were, or observe the staff in action. You also compile reports about the issues patients face, and figure out ways the home, clinic, or hospital can improve. Additionally, you hold trainings, and collaborate with Managers to improve their employees’ customer service or work habits.