The role you would have in patient relations is to develop an effective initiative that involves customer service procedures and policies, along with properly informing the medical staff of its execution. As complaints come in regarding a the medical facility or a specific member of the staff, it is the patient relations director that has to partner with other departments, such as legal, compliance and risk management, in order to conduct a proper investigation. Then a resolution is developed for the situation that will benefit everyone involved.
In patient relations, it is requires that you maintain compliance of policies and legal regulations within the medical facility. It is your responsibility to keep track of any and all incidents and records of how they were taken care of. In order to become a patient relation director, you will have to go through a four year degree program, which is mandatory for employment in this field. Also, you will need to have previous experience in order to get a manager position in a medical facility.
According to Salary.com, the average annual salary for patient relations in 2010 is $80,590.