Essen Health Care
Associate Director of Patient Experience
Position Title:
Associate Director of Patient Experience Reports To: Senior Director, Office of Patient Experience & Records Position Summary: The Associate Director of Patient Experience provides leadership and operational oversight for the Patient Experience team at Essen and its subsidiaries. The role ensures all grievances, inquiries, and feedback are addressed in a timely, compliant, and compassionate manner. This position is accountable for managing the patient experience inbox, monitoring surveys and feedback data, executing trainings, conducting site observations, and supporting team development. The Associate Director fosters a culture of servant leadership, empathy, and accountability to improve the overall patient journey, while partnering with clinical and operational leaders to drive systemic improvements in service quality and patient satisfaction.
Responsibilities
Supervise and support Patient Experience Specialists, ensuring timely, accurate, and empathetic grievance handling.
Manage departmental workflows, including oversight of the patient experience inbox and grievance tracking system.
Model servant leadership, promoting accountability, collaboration, and a patient-centered culture.
Oversee grievance and complaint resolution in compliance with CMS and Joint Commission standards.
Partner with clinical and operational leaders to address escalated concerns and ensure resolution strategies restore patient trust.
Maintain open communication with patients and families to reinforce confidence in care delivery.
Design and deliver training programs on empathy, communication, de-escalation, and service recovery.
Conduct site observations to assess staff-patient interactions and provide constructive coaching.
Mentor staff and support onboarding of new employees to reinforce patient-centered practices.
Monitor patient satisfaction surveys (CG-CAHPS, Press Ganey, Qualtrics) and analyze trends.
Generate reports and present findings to leadership with actionable insights for improvement.
Collaborate with Quality and Compliance to ensure alignment between patient experience and organizational performance goals.
Serve as a visible leader across care sites, fostering empathy, inclusivity, and respect.
Celebrate staff who receive positive patient feedback and contribute to recognition programs.
Drive initiatives that build a culture of continuous improvement in the patient experience.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Business, Nursing, or related field
Master’s degree (MHA, MPH, MBA, or related) preferred
Effective communication with empathy, diplomacy, and strong interpersonal skills
Conflict resolution and service recovery expertise
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
Experience with survey platforms (Qualtrics, Press Ganey)
Knowledge of EHR systems (ECW, ECares)
Strong data analysis and reporting skills
Certified Patient Experience Professional (CPXP) preferred
Work Experience
Minimum 5 years in patient experience, patient relations, or healthcare leadership
Prior supervisory or management experience in a healthcare setting
Demonstrated success in implementing patient-centered improvement initiatives
Essen Health Care is an equal opportunity employer and we seek candidates who desire to work in and serve an ethnically diverse population.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Position Title:
Associate Director of Patient Experience Reports To: Senior Director, Office of Patient Experience & Records Position Summary: The Associate Director of Patient Experience provides leadership and operational oversight for the Patient Experience team at Essen and its subsidiaries. The role ensures all grievances, inquiries, and feedback are addressed in a timely, compliant, and compassionate manner. This position is accountable for managing the patient experience inbox, monitoring surveys and feedback data, executing trainings, conducting site observations, and supporting team development. The Associate Director fosters a culture of servant leadership, empathy, and accountability to improve the overall patient journey, while partnering with clinical and operational leaders to drive systemic improvements in service quality and patient satisfaction.
Responsibilities
Supervise and support Patient Experience Specialists, ensuring timely, accurate, and empathetic grievance handling.
Manage departmental workflows, including oversight of the patient experience inbox and grievance tracking system.
Model servant leadership, promoting accountability, collaboration, and a patient-centered culture.
Oversee grievance and complaint resolution in compliance with CMS and Joint Commission standards.
Partner with clinical and operational leaders to address escalated concerns and ensure resolution strategies restore patient trust.
Maintain open communication with patients and families to reinforce confidence in care delivery.
Design and deliver training programs on empathy, communication, de-escalation, and service recovery.
Conduct site observations to assess staff-patient interactions and provide constructive coaching.
Mentor staff and support onboarding of new employees to reinforce patient-centered practices.
Monitor patient satisfaction surveys (CG-CAHPS, Press Ganey, Qualtrics) and analyze trends.
Generate reports and present findings to leadership with actionable insights for improvement.
Collaborate with Quality and Compliance to ensure alignment between patient experience and organizational performance goals.
Serve as a visible leader across care sites, fostering empathy, inclusivity, and respect.
Celebrate staff who receive positive patient feedback and contribute to recognition programs.
Drive initiatives that build a culture of continuous improvement in the patient experience.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Business, Nursing, or related field
Master’s degree (MHA, MPH, MBA, or related) preferred
Effective communication with empathy, diplomacy, and strong interpersonal skills
Conflict resolution and service recovery expertise
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
Experience with survey platforms (Qualtrics, Press Ganey)
Knowledge of EHR systems (ECW, ECares)
Strong data analysis and reporting skills
Certified Patient Experience Professional (CPXP) preferred
Work Experience
Minimum 5 years in patient experience, patient relations, or healthcare leadership
Prior supervisory or management experience in a healthcare setting
Demonstrated success in implementing patient-centered improvement initiatives
Essen Health Care is an equal opportunity employer and we seek candidates who desire to work in and serve an ethnically diverse population.
#J-18808-Ljbffr