Job Description

General Position Description: The Patient Care Advocate develops business partnerships by making effective sales contacts, calls, and presentations. Responsibilities include the growth and promotion of hospice programs and services while maintaining the standards of practice consistent with quality end-of-life care. Serves as the agency staff representative with physicians, facilities, discharge planners, and community agencies. Responsible for the overall development and referral growth of the assigned territory.

Role Expectations:

• Responsible for the overall development and referral growth of assigned territory, including facilities, physicians, care-at-home providers, and community agencies
• Fosters good working relations with physicians, third-party payors, and community agencies.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates quarterly and annual territory plans to achieve growth goals and to implement agreed upon strategies and actions.
• Develops business relationships with providers by making effective sales calls and presentations to targeted referral sources.
• Maintains professional and clinical knowledge of provider services. Acts as liaison between referral partners and agencies to communicate information about new products, programs, and service delivery.
• Meets with patients and families to discuss home care services, individual needs/concerns, and manage expectations, as needed.
• Takes the initiative in building relationships within the Intake department and with the appropriate patient care resources staff to assure the establishment of effective communication with referral sources and internal stakeholders.
• Updates and maintains customer and competitor profiles, logs daily call activity, and documents plans for follow-up activities with referral sources.
• Serves as agency staff liaison with physicians, facility nurses, social workers, discharge planners, and community agencies; works with various community agencies to facilitate the delivery of appropriate services for potential patients.
• As requested by leadeship, participates in marketing efforts for the purpose of educating the healthcare community about hospice programs, including physician calls, lunch and learns, health fairs, speaker’s bureau, and CEU programs for healthcare providers.
• Prepares monthly tracking reports on referral sources and keeps agency informed of key marketplace changes relating to providers and competitors.
• Understands that teamwork is a crucial part of our business, and is able to work well with colleagues, no matter the circumstances. Using individual skills cooperates with others, and accepts and provides constructive feedback despite any personal conflicts between individuals involved.
• Utilizes current Agency and department-specific software to complete assignments.
• Promotes timely, high-quality care to patients and caregivers with life-limiting illnesses.
• Demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of and ensures compliance with all local, state, and federal laws relating to the operations of the Agency.
• Provides counsel to the Agency regarding the needs of the community and program development, including program financial viability.
• Communicate with attending physicians, hospice physicians, and other physicians involved in the patient’s care.
• Timely submission of all required paperwork.
• Demonstrates commitment and professional growth by participating in hospice-sponsored in-service programs and maintaining or improving competency.
• Promotes the Hospice’s philosophy and administrative policies.
• Meets productivity standards.
• Provides effective communication to patients, their family members, team members, and other health care professionals.
• Carries out other duties as assigned by leadership.
• Transportation: Reliable transportation and valid auto liability insurance

The above statements are only meant to be a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. The incumbents may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those stated in this description.

Requirements

Education and experience:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in marketing or related field or equivalent professional experience; and
• Experience: Minimum of two (2) years of experience in hospice sales or a related industry with a proven record of achieving incremental growth in direct sales. Experience delivering high-quality outcomes and growth.
• Skills: Establishing and maintaining professional and effective relationships with internal and external teams.
• Must be proficient in using Microsoft programs for internal and external communications, presentations, database tracking/reporting, and spreadsheet applications.
• Proficiency in using a CRM solution is preferred.
• Must have excellent oral communication skills.
• Is self-directed and possesses the ability to work with little supervision.

Physical Requirements:

1. Environmental and Working Conditions: Works in medical practice locations and homes in various conditions; possible exposure to blood, bodily fluids, and infectious diseases; ability to work a flexible schedule; ability to travel locally; some exposure to unpleasant weather; PRN emergency calls.
2. Physical and Mental Effort: Prolonged standing and walking required, with the ability to lift up to 50lbs and move patients. It requires working under some stressful conditions to meet deadlines and patient needs, make quick decisions and resource acquisition, and meet patient/family individualized psychosocial needs. Requires eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity.
3. Ability to communicate with patients, families, physicians, co-workers, and visitors to be able to exchange accurate information regarding patient condition and health status. Ability to exchange and express information by means of language and communicate information effectively.
4. Ability to hear the nature of sounds. Ability to give full attention to what other people are saying, take time to understand the points being made, ask questions as appropriate, and not interrupt at inappropriate times.
5. Ability to view, record, or type data quickly and accurately.
6. Ability to determine resources needed to provide quality patient care.
7. Ability to travel to community locations, clinics, hospitals, homes, and office/support center locations as needed to promote and educate on hospice services.