Patient Rights Advocate

Please Note Scheduled Hours: Monday-Friday, 8-4pm, With Weekends Off

Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all inclusive):

• Serve as a primary point of contact for patients, addressing concerns related to treatment, hospital services, and the environment of care.
• Collaborate with clinical and non-clinical staff to foster patient engagement and participation in hospital programs, groups, and councils.
• Mediate and resolve patient concerns by working with unit and department staff to achieve mutually satisfactory outcomes.
• Refer patients to appropriate legal advocacy or external agencies as needed while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
• Assist in formal complaint processes, maintaining records and tracking resolution outcomes for reporting and trend analysis.
• Support investigations and reviews of patient rights violations conducted by external agencies, ensuring compliance with standards and producing relevant documentation.
• Develop and distribute educational materials related to human and patient rights, ensuring proper posting and accessibility.
• Provide patient rights training to new and existing staff, updating materials as needed to reflect evolving standards and regulations.
• Assess the effectiveness of patient advocacy services, gathering feedback from staff and patients to improve hospital-wide initiatives.
• Participate in clinical team meetings, ethics committees, and other hospital-wide groups to advocate for patient needs.
• Maintain a comprehensive database of patient advocacy activities, including complaints, interventions, and resolutions.
• Oversee the development and operations of a Patient Advisory Council in accordance with regulatory guidelines.

Required Qualifications:

• Strong knowledge of patient rights advocacy, investigative techniques, and interviewing methods.
• Proficiency in report writing, record-keeping, and information analysis to support decision-making.
• Ability to accurately gather and document information through interviews, observations, and record examinations.
• Expertise in interpreting legal documents and applying relevant laws, regulations, and policies.
• High level of discretion when handling confidential information and sensitive patient concerns.
• Effective communication skills, including clear oral and written expression and the ability to provide instructions.
• Strong problem-solving and judgment skills to assess data, draw conclusions, and recommend solutions.
• Ability to establish rapport, navigate diverse interactions, and foster collaborative working relationships.
• Capacity to remain calm in high-pressure situations and adapt to changing work environments.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently while maintaining compliance with hospital standards.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong understanding of relevant laws, regulations, policies, and standards governing unit operations.
• Familiarity with agency forms, their uses, and proper documentation procedures.

About the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital:

Lemuel Shattuck Hospital is a fully Joint Commission accredited teaching facility that provides acute, subacute, and ambulatory care to patients referred by public agencies and private sector providers. Shattuck Hospital's services help economically and socially disadvantaged patients to get high quality, cost-effective care from a staff that respects their dignity.

Located in the heart of Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood, the Shattuck Hospital includes 248 inpatient beds including 95 Psychiatric beds and 29 Correctional Health beds. In addition, the Shattuck has a full outpatient clinic with many specialties that offers treatment to patients of the Department of Mental Health as well as Department of Correction and House of Correction inmates and community patients.

The Shattuck hospital is on the forefront of substance use disorder treatment including a Suboxone clinic serving 200 patients. In addition to direct medical services LSH hosts and supports an array of services located on the campus, serving patients struggling with addictions and homelessness.

Learn more about Shattuck Hospital: https://www.mass.gov/locations/lemuel-shattuck-hospital

Relocation information: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/dph-renovation-for-shattuck-hospital-replacement-building

Pre-Hire Process:

A criminal background check will be completed on the recommended candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services prior to the candidate being hired. For more information, please visit http://www.mass.gov/hhs/cori

Education, licensure, and certifications will be verified in accordance with the Human Resources Division's Hiring Guidelines.

Education and license/certification information provided by the selected candidate(s) is subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law and may be published on the Commonwealth's website, http://www.mass.gov

If you require assistance with the application/interview process and would like to request an ADA accommodation, please click on the link and complete the Reasonable Accommodation Online Request Form

For questions regarding this requisition, please contact Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Human Resources at 1-800- 510-4122 Ext. #4

Qualifications

First consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 days.

Minimum Entrance Requirements: Applicants must have at least (A) four years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, experience in investigatory, law enforcement or regulatory administration work, or (B) and equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.

Substitutions:

A Bachelor's or higher degree may be substituted for a maximum of the two years of the required experience.

Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.

S alary placement is determined by a combination of factors, including the candidate's years of directly related experience and education, and alignment with our internal compensation structure as set forth by the Human Resources Division's Hiring Guidelines. For all bargaining unit positions (non-management), compensation is subject to the salary provisions outlined in the applicable collective bargaining agreement and will apply to placement within the appropriate salary range

Comprehensive Benefits

When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.

Want the specifics? Explore our Employee Benefits and Rewards!

T itle 101 CMR 23.00 ("Regulation") requires certain agency staff to have received the COVID-19 vaccination and Influenza vaccination, or have taken required mitigation measures, to prevent viral infection and transmission in State Hospitals and State Congregate Care Facilities. The Regulation applies to this position. Successful candidates will be required to acknowledge and attest to your vaccination status for both COVID-19 and Influenza.

An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.