What are the responsibilities and job description for the Patient Services Specialist - Medical Center position at Houston Methodist?
This job is a full time day opportunity.
Job location: 6560 Fannin (on site)
*Candidate must be proficient in reading, writing, and speaking Arabic.
*Serve as a primary liaison between patients, families, and healthcare providers to ensure clear and compassionate communication
*Support Arabic-speaking patients by providing interpretation and culturally sensitive guidance throughout their care journey
*Coordinate patient appointments, follow-ups, and referrals across departments and services
*Foster a positive patient experience by addressing concerns and helping resolve service-related issues
*Maintain accurate records and ensure timely updates in electronic health systems
*Collaborate with clinical and administrative teams to improve patient flow and satisfaction
At Houston Methodist, the Patient Services Specialist position serves as an advanced, high-touch facilitator within Houston Methodist Global Patient Services, delivering concierge-level coordination and comprehensive navigation support for international patients and special constituencies across the continuum of care. This position operates beyond intake and transactional coordination, serving as the primary care journey coordinator from initial engagement through treatment, discharge, and follow-up, ensuring seamless integration of inpatient, outpatient, and physician office services. The Patient Services Specialist position coordinates patient pathways across the continuum of care by exercising sound judgment within established guidelines. This position proactively anticipates obstacles, facilitates timely access to specialty and sub-specialty services, and ensures continuity across clinical, operational, and administrative teams. Serving as both patient advocate and operational liaison, the Patient Services Specialist position strengthens communication between patients, providers, guarantors, and internal stakeholders while guiding patients through clinical processes and transitions. This position supports service recovery and escalates complex concerns when appropriate, exercising judgment in determining appropriate actions and escalating only when necessary, with accountability for driving timely and effective resolution of experience-impacting issues. In addition, the Patient Services Specialist position supports relationship management with internal and external stakeholders, contributes to international program coordination and business development efforts, and partners with philanthropy initiatives through the Houston Methodist Foundation to enhance patient experience and organizational impact.
EDUCATION
EXPERIENCE
Job location: 6560 Fannin (on site)
*Candidate must be proficient in reading, writing, and speaking Arabic.
*Serve as a primary liaison between patients, families, and healthcare providers to ensure clear and compassionate communication
*Support Arabic-speaking patients by providing interpretation and culturally sensitive guidance throughout their care journey
*Coordinate patient appointments, follow-ups, and referrals across departments and services
*Foster a positive patient experience by addressing concerns and helping resolve service-related issues
*Maintain accurate records and ensure timely updates in electronic health systems
*Collaborate with clinical and administrative teams to improve patient flow and satisfaction
At Houston Methodist, the Patient Services Specialist position serves as an advanced, high-touch facilitator within Houston Methodist Global Patient Services, delivering concierge-level coordination and comprehensive navigation support for international patients and special constituencies across the continuum of care. This position operates beyond intake and transactional coordination, serving as the primary care journey coordinator from initial engagement through treatment, discharge, and follow-up, ensuring seamless integration of inpatient, outpatient, and physician office services. The Patient Services Specialist position coordinates patient pathways across the continuum of care by exercising sound judgment within established guidelines. This position proactively anticipates obstacles, facilitates timely access to specialty and sub-specialty services, and ensures continuity across clinical, operational, and administrative teams. Serving as both patient advocate and operational liaison, the Patient Services Specialist position strengthens communication between patients, providers, guarantors, and internal stakeholders while guiding patients through clinical processes and transitions. This position supports service recovery and escalates complex concerns when appropriate, exercising judgment in determining appropriate actions and escalating only when necessary, with accountability for driving timely and effective resolution of experience-impacting issues. In addition, the Patient Services Specialist position supports relationship management with internal and external stakeholders, contributes to international program coordination and business development efforts, and partners with philanthropy initiatives through the Houston Methodist Foundation to enhance patient experience and organizational impact.
FLSA STATUS
Exempt
QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
EXPERIENCE
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
QUALIFICATIONSExempt
QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
- Bachelor’s degree or an additional four years of relevant experience (in addition to the minimum experience required below) in lieu of degree
EXPERIENCE
- Five years of experience in a hospital or clinic setting required, preferably within a patient services, care coordination, or patient experience environment
KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES
- Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
- Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
- Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
- Proficiency in medical terminology
- Comprehensive knowledge of physician referral protocol and hospital policies and procedures
- Demonstrated knowledge of healthcare operations, including inpatient, outpatient, and physician practice workflows
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Serves as a primary liaison and trusted advisor for patients, families, physicians, multidisciplinary teams, corporate clients, and community stakeholders, fostering collaborative relationships and seamless coordination of care.
- Demonstrates cultural competence, emotional intelligence, and professionalism when supporting diverse international and Special Constituent patient populations.
- Maintains effective, timely, and professional communication across all stakeholders to ensure clarity, responsiveness, and continuity of service.
SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Delivers high-touch, concierge-level service to ensure a seamless and personalized patient experience across inpatient, outpatient, and physician office settings.
- Provides comprehensive end-to-end patient navigation, coordinating care from initial inquiry through treatment, discharge, and follow-up.
- Facilitates and expedites patient encounters by proactively addressing barriers, minimizing delays, and optimizing access to appropriate services and providers.
- Coordinates patient discharges and care transitions in collaboration with clinical and operational teams to ensure continuity of care and patient satisfaction.
- Initiates, manages, and supports complaint and grievance resolution processes, emphasizing timely service recovery and patient-centered outcomes.
- Acts as an ambassador for Houston Methodist Global by supporting community engagement, corporate partnerships, and business development initiatives that enhance the patient experience and organizational reputation.
QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Ensures all patient interactions, care coordination activities, and documentation comply with Houston Methodist quality, safety, regulatory, and organizational standards.
- Identifies, escalates, and assists in resolving operational or clinical barriers that may impact patient safety, experience, or continuity of care.
- Supports continuous improvement initiatives by identifying trends, workflow gaps, and opportunities to enhance operational efficiency and service excellence.
FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Supports financial stewardship and revenue cycle performance through efficient patient throughput, timely scheduling, coordination of services, and facilitation of financial clearance processes.
- Demonstrates awareness of cost-effective practices while maintaining a premium level of personalized service for patients, sponsors, and corporate partners.
GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Supports strategic growth and innovation initiatives through relationship management, community outreach, philanthropic collaboration, process improvement, and continuous learning to enhance patient navigation and global service delivery.
SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
- WORK ATTIRE
- Uniform: No
- Scrubs: No
- Business professional: Yes
- Other (department approved): No
- On Call* No
- May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area No
- May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No
ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. Disaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.
TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**
EDUCATION
- Bachelor’s degree or an additional four years of relevant experience (in addition to the minimum experience required below) in lieu of degree
EXPERIENCE
- Five years of experience in a hospital or clinic setting required, preferably within a patient services, care coordination, or patient experience environment