Patient Experience Manager Career

A patient experience manager helps to satisfy a full range of patient needs. They can inform the patient’s understanding of treatment programs, help patients prepare for therapy, and even communicate with care providers to brief them on a patient’s concerns, hesitations, or treatment needs.

Depending on the size of the healthcare organization, a patient experience manager can also sometimes be known as a patient experience director, patient experience liaison, or patient experience officer. No matter the title, the duties of a patient experience manager are still focused on improving patient outcomes.

The role of a patient experience manager is a specialized career option. As a result, you’ll likely need to obtain both an undergraduate and a master’s degree before employers will consider you for hire. Some employers also prefer that applicants gain at least a few years of experience in a healthcare organization, preferably in a patient experience role.

What Does a Patient Experience Manager Do?

Each day, a patient experience manager will handle a variety of different responsibilities. On some days, patient experience managers might spend time communicating directly with patients and their care providers. On other days, they might spend hours creating treatment plans, reporting on patient progress, or implementing patient-related programs across a healthcare organization.

The exact responsibilities of a patient experience manager can include:

• Managing all aspects of a patient’s experience, both concerning their treatment and their overall stay at your healthcare facility.
• Communicating with patients to determine their needs and identify a path toward treatment and progress.
  
• Empathizing with patient concerns on their path toward recovery, and helping them take steps to replace anxiety with peace of mind.
  
• Corresponding with care providers like doctors and nurses, to familiarize them with individual patient needs and preferences.
  
• Implementing patient-focused programs in a healthcare environment.
  
• Generating and delivering reports on patient progress, setbacks, and overall status.
  
• Working with other healthcare team members to address patient needs as part of their daily processes.

These and other responsibilities make a patient experience manager a valuable asset in virtually any healthcare setting as they work to directly improve patient mood and care quality.

EDUCATION & BEST DEGREES

What Education Does a Patient Experience Manager Need?

In order to move into this management position at a healthcare facility, there are some specific educational requirements you’ll need to meet. After you complete your undergraduate degree in a field such as health and human services or health science you’ll need to obtain a master’s degree in healthcare administration or an MBA in healthcare management.

In these types of degree programs, you'll learn about the business aspects of healthcare and discover how to work within that healthcare setting to provide the best possible experience. Communication, strategy, budgeting, and more are all part of these degree programs. They will leave you with the skills and experience you need to be successful in a role as a patient experience manager. When determining the right healthcare leadership degree for you, consider your desired role.