Early Resolution Specialist

Created under the Excellent Care for All Act,

Patient Ombudsman's

role is to help resolve complaints from patients, residents and caregivers about their experiences in Ontario’s public hospitals, long-term care homes, home care services, and community surgical and diagnostic centres. Patient Ombudsman also investigates matters of public interest. We take the time to listen closely to all perspectives without taking sides. Our work aims to improve the system for everyone by shining a light on issues of concern. In accordance with ombuds principles, Patient Ombudsman acts independently of Ontario Health when undertaking its mandate, and we are committed to our values of respect, compassion, integrity and accountability. We do our work in service to a vision of a healthcare system where everyone is treated fairly.

What Patient Ombudsman offers:
Achieving your career goals is a priority to us. Benefits of working at Patient Ombudsman may include the following based on employment type:
- Fully paid medical, dental and vision coverage from your first day- Health care spending account- Premium defined benefit pension plan- 3 personal days and 2 float days annually- Individual contributors start at 3 weeks’ vacation with 4 weeks at 2 yrs.- Career development opportunities- A collaborative values-based team culture- Wellness programs- A hybrid working model- Participation in- Communities of InclusionWant to make a difference in your career? Consider this opportunity.

Early Resolution Specialists (ERS) are part of Patient Ombudsman’s front-line team. As an ERS you will be interacting directly with the public and with representatives from health care organizations, managing a case load of complaint files, and working closely with other members of the Patient Ombudsman team to respond to concerns and identify trends.

Early Resolution Specialists use their analytic, communication, and conflict resolution skills to work to resolve complaints in keeping with ombuds principles and practices. Curiosity, a commitment to public service, and excellent verbal and documentation skills are essential in this role as an independent and impartial advocate for fairness in the Ontario health care system.

Here is what you will be doing:
Reporting to the Manager, Complaints Services, the Early Resolution Specialist is responsible for providing timely, equitable, and respectful front-line response and resolution of complainants relating to Ontario’s public hospitals, long-term care homes, community surgical and diagnostic centres, and home care.

Complaint Intake:
- Provides immediate, front-line response to inquiries from complainants, health sector organizations, and the public, addressing concerns and complaints, helping with healthcare system navigation and explaining Patient Ombudsman services, mandate, and jurisdiction.- Conducts interviews with stakeholders over the phone, or in person/in writing as appropriate, clarifying requests and complaints, identifying key issues, determining eligibility/validity of complaint and jurisdictional applicability, and providing guidance on steps to be taken to formally address concerns, creating case files, and gaining stakeholder permission to access records to proceed with the PO resolution process.- Extracts relevant information through interviews, evaluating root causes of issues and degree of distress/anxiety/agitation of complainant, assessing complexity, sensitivity and associated risks of issues and taking active steps to mitigate risks and diffuse situations.- Facilitates discussions between complainants and health sector agency representatives, gathering and consolidating relevant information and explanations, facilitating connections/referrals, and ensuring proper documentation and follow up for all interactions.- Working independently and in consultation with the Complaint Services team and Patient Ombudsman staff, determines appropriate courses of action to resolve issues/cases, formulating opinions on fairness, identifying when cases should be closed, referred, or escalated internally, and ensuring all involved parties are apprised of decisions.- Ensures complainants/callers are appropriately and sensitively accommodated.- Identifies potential abuse and neglect issues in long-term care, ensuring mandatory reports to the Ministry of Long-Term Care are prepared and submitted.

Complaint Resolution/Case Management:
- Provides appropriate information and referrals in response to complaints falling outside the jurisdiction of, or are premature for, Patient Ombudsman to consider.- Analyzes case file information and issues, consolidating relevant information, assessing associated risks and sensitivities, determining appropriate courses of action to close or escalate a file, and ensuring all between-party correspondence is prepared in a timely manner.- Identifies opportunities to connect complainants and health sector organizations, engaging respectfully, facilitating infor