PATIENT ADVOCACY INTAKE COORDINATOR

Minimum Offer

$ 19.28/hr.

Maximum Offer

$ 28.91/hr.

Compensation Disclaimer

Compensation for this role is based on a number of factors, including but not limited to experience, education, and other business and organizational considerations.

Department: Patient Advocacy

FTE: 1.00
Full Time
Shift: Days

Position Summary:
Responsible for managing centralized intake, triage, and coordination of patient and family concerns across the UNM Health System, including UNMH, SRMC, and UNMMG. Serves as the primary point of contact for high-volume interactions, requiring real-time assessment, de-escalation, and routing of concerns to appropriate clinical, operational, and administrative teams. This role evaluates incoming concerns for urgency, complexity, and potential risk; identifies appropriate escalation pathways; and supports timely resolution in alignment with organizational policies, regulatory requirements, and patient rights. The position requires advanced communication skills, critical thinking, and the ability to manage emotionally charged situations while maintaining professionalism and compassion. Ensures adherence to Hospital and Departmental Policies and Procedures. No patient care assignment.

Detailed responsibilities:
* INTAKE - Serve as the primary intake point for patient and family concerns via phone, email, letters, and in-person interactions
* TRIAGE - Manage high-volume contact streams, prioritizing and triaging concerns based on urgency, severity, and potential risk
* INFORMATION - Gather, assess, and synthesize information, including clinically relevant context, to determine appropriate next steps
* DE-ESCALATION - Utilize advanced de-escalation techniques to manage emotionally charged, complex, or sensitive situations
* COMMUNITCATION - Communicate clearly and compassionately with patients and families while setting expectations and outlining next steps
* INTERACTIONS - Maintain composure and professionalism in high-stress interactions
* ESCALATION - Identify concerns that meet criteria for escalation to complaints or grievances
* CONCERNS - Route concerns to appropriate clinical, operational, or leadership teams
* SYSTEM NAVIGATION - Facilitate coordination across departments to support timely follow-up and resolution
* IDENTIFICATION - Analyze patient and family concerns to identify underlying issues contributing to dissatisfaction or harm perception
* ISSUES - Recognize patterns that may indicate systemic issues or process gaps
* ROOT CAUSE IDENTIFICATION - Escalate trends or high-risk concerns to leadership as appropriate which may include real-time follow up
* DOCUMENTATION - Document all interactions accurately and timely within designated systems (e.g., Press Ganey HRP)
* COMPLIANCE - Support compliance with CMS Conditions of Participation and organizational grievance policies
* CONFIDENTIALITY - Maintain strict confidentiality in all interactions and documentation
* DATA - Track and maintain intake data, including call volume, concern types, and resolution pathways
* REPORTING - Assist in generating reports related to trends, volumes, and outcomes
* REPORTING SUPPORT - Support leadership with data-informed insights regarding patient concerns
* LIAISON - Serve as a liaison between patients, families, and healthcare teams
* COLLABORATION - Collaborate with Patient Advocates, clinical staff, and leadership to facilitate resolution
* RELATIONSHIPS - Build and maintain effective working relationships across the health system
* PROCESS IMPROVEMENT - Provide feedback on intake workflows, escalation pathways, and communication processes
* PATIENT EXPERIENCE - Participate in initiatives aimed at improving patient experience and reducing complaints and grievances
* PROCESS IMPROVEMENT - Contribute to identification of opportunities for system improvement

Qualifications

Education:
Essential:
* High School or GED Equivalent
Nonessential:
* Associate Degree
* Bachelor's Degree
Education specialization:
Nonessential:
* Related Discipline
* Related Discipline

Experience:
Essential:
3 years directly related experience Experience managing high-volume interactions and complex customer or patient concerns required

Nonessential:
Knowledge of CMS Conditions of Participation or healthcare regulatory standards Experience with Press Ganey or similar patient feedback platforms Experience in patient advocacy or grievance management Bilingual English/Keres, Tewa, Tiwa, Towa, Zuni, or Navajo Bilingual English/Spanish

Credentials:

Physical Conditions:
Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Working conditions:

Nonessential:
* No or min hazard, physical risk, office environment