Regional Director, Patient Experience Improvement

Job Description

Job Summary

The Regional Director of Patient Experience is responsible for leading and implementing patient experience initiatives across multiple healthcare facilities within an assigned region. Reporting to the Senior Director of Patient Experience Improvement, this role collaborates with hospital leadership teams to drive strategies that enhance patient satisfaction, improve operational efficiencies, and foster a culture of patient-centered care. The Regional Director serves as a key advisor and coach to facility leaders, ensuring the consistent application of best process improvement practices in patient experience and data-driven decision-making.

*** Please note this position requires availability to travel 25-50% of the time to hospitals, as needed.

Job Functions

• Leadership & Strategy: Serve as a strategic partner to hospital leadership teams, ensuring the successful implementation of system-wide patient experience initiatives at the facility level.
• Regional Oversight: Provide direct coaching and consultation to hospital executives, managers, and frontline staff on patient-centered practices.
• Process Improvement: Drive hospital and department-level process improvement efforts to optimize systems and workflows impacting patient experience outcomes.
• Data Analysis: Analyze patient experience data and present insights to inform strategic decision-making at the facility and unit-level.
• Coaching & Culture: Develop and lead training programs focused on patient experience best practices, leadership accountability, and service excellence.
• Program Oversight: Act as a liaison between corporate leadership and hospital teams, ensuring standardization of policies, tools, and best practices.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Serve as a change agent, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation in patient experience.

Essential Functions

• Collaborate with hospital leadership teams to implement patient experience strategies aligned with corporate objectives.
• Translate patient experience data into actionable priorities for hospital teams to improve patient experience outcomes
• Partner with hospital C-suite and department leaders to execute hospital-wide patient experience initiatives.
• Provide direct coaching and consultation to hospital executives and managers, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Support the execution of corporate patient experience strategies at the facility level, ensuring consistency and sustainability.
• Guide hospital teams in fostering a culture of empathy, service excellence, and accountability, embedding patient-centered principles into leadership practices.
• Assist in developing leadership training and coaching programs to enhance patient experience competencies across facilities.
• Serve as an advocate for frontline staff engagement in patient experience improvement efforts.
• Advise facility C-suite and corporate teams on fostering a culture of empathy and accountability, leveraging CPXP competencies to embed patient-centric values into leadership practices.
• Develop frameworks for leadership training and accountability that cascade through regions and facilities.
• Collaborate with clinical, operational, and administrative teams to ensure that patient experience initiatives integrate seamlessly with overall hospital operations.
• Act as a liaison between facility leadership and corporate teams to ensure consistent execution of strategies across the region.
• Partner with hospital teams to enhance patient experience programs, service recovery, and communication workflows.
• Guide hospital leaders in process improvement projects using the CHS model for improvement to enhance patient experience.
• Ensure that patient experience improvement efforts comply with regulatory and accreditation standards.
• Help hospital teams implement evidence-based best practices to improve patient satisfaction and outcomes.
• Provide reports and updates on patient experience performance and initiatives to facility and corporate leadership.
• Use the CHS model for improvement to highlight success stories and areas for continued improvement.
• Present patient experience data in a clear and actionable manner to drive leadership engagement.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration, Business Administration (MBA), Nursing (MSN), or a related field preferred.
• Bachelor's Degree Nursing or related field Required

Work Experience

• 1-3 years Practical experience using Lean Process Improvement tools and techniques required
• 2-4 years Prior experience working with a survey vendor and the accompanying portal (i.e., Press Ganey) required
• 5-7 years Strong planning, customer service, organization, negotiation, decision-making, verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills are essential to this position preferred
• 5-7 years Related health care experience in a management position, with responsibility for program development, direction of staff and establishing/maintaining communications and relationships with hospital and corporate teams, process improvement, change management and patient experience with demonstrated ability to drive results preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Leadership Skills: Strong leadership and coaching skills, with the ability to influence hospital executives and frontline teams.
• Coaching Skills: Proficiency in advising senior leaders and developing their capabilities in patient-centered leadership.
• Analytical Skills: Strong ability to analyze data and provide actionable insights to drive improvements.
• Process Improvement: Knowledge of  Lean Six Sigma methodologies to optimize systems and workflows.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written skills for engaging diverse stakeholders and presenting strategic updates.
• Change Management: Experience leading organizational change and aligning multi-site teams.
• Patient-Centered Focus: Deep commitment to embedding patient-centric principles into healthcare operations.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Understanding of healthcare regulations and accreditation standards.

Licenses and Certifications

• RN  - Registered Nurse - State Licensure and/or Compact State Licensure in a state within which CHS operates Required
• Lean Six Sigma Green belt or higher Preferred
• Certified Patient Experience Professional CPXP Required within 1 year
• Nurse Executive-Board Certified NE-BC Preferred