Family and Hospital Partnership Liaison - Madisonville/Paducah, KY

At Network for Hope (NFH) the Family & Hospital Partnership Liaison (Family HPL) provides day-to-day leadership and coordination within assigned hospitals to enhance the overall culture of donation. The Family HPL is responsible for building and maintaining key relationships, improving processes, and providing education to hospital staff and donor families to maximize opportunities for organ and tissue donation and transplantation. This role involves guiding families through the donation process, supporting hospital staff as a subject matter expert, and ensuring compassionate, high-quality care aligned with Network for Hope's mission. This position requires significant regional travel, schedule flexibility, and on-call availability for potential donor situations.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Hospital Development & Support

• Collaborate with hospital leadership to review donation objectives, develop and implement strategic initiatives, and align hospital priorities with a culture of donation.
• Identify underperforming areas and initiate corrective actions.
• Provide support services and assist in resolving issues for hospital partners, including occasional after-hours and weekend needs.
• Anticipate and respond to hospital needs, including changes in clinical regulations, policies, and staffing.
• Ensure hospitals adhere to best practices and regulatory requirements.

Relationship Building

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key hospital staff, including physicians, nurses, chaplains, social workers, respiratory therapists, and administrators.
• Conduct regular on-site visits and activities at assigned hospitals, including night shifts, to maintain visibility and support donation efforts.
• Identify and empower hospital "champions" to act as internal advocates and resources for donation processes.

Partner Education & Training

• Prepare and deliver comprehensive and inspirational education programs on donation processes and regulations.
• Provide real-time education during active donation cases to ensure staff understand their roles and the regulations governing family approaches.
• Lead training on donation pathways, techniques, and best practices.

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Gather, analyze, and report on hospital-specific donation metrics and outcomes.
• Identify and communicate trends in referrals and donation results.
• Present donation metrics, process improvement efforts, audit results, and other relevant information to hospital leadership.
• Participate in post-donor reviews to refine and improve donation strategies.
• Document all interactions and activities with hospital staff in donor/electronic systems (e.g., iTransplant) according to organizational standards.

Compliance, Quality, & Process Improvement

• Recommend and implement improvements to departmental processes to enhance team effectiveness and reduce administrative burdens.
• Share best practices between hospitals and organ procurement organizations (OPOs) to drive continuous improvement.
• Conduct or assist with improvement projects, including formal PDSAs, to achieve donation goals and metrics.
• Participate in onboarding and orientation of new team members to foster a culture of learning and excellence.
• Ensure hospital partners comply with relevant regulations, including CMS indicators and accreditation standards.
• Work with hospital-based committees to set goals, address donation process issues, and review donation activity.
• Conduct follow-ups and corrective actions when process variances are identified.

Family Counseling

• Maintain on-call availability to respond promptly (within one hour) to organ donor referrals from assigned hospitals.
• Provide consistent support to families by addressing informational, physical, and emotional needs, clarifying clinical status, test results, and prognosis.
• Assess families' understanding of the patient's prognosis and assist in end-of-life decisions.
• Offer the option of organ/tissue donation, addressing benefits and misconceptions, as appropriate.
• Confirm Donation after Cardiac Death (DCD) eligibility and family wishes for terminal withdrawal of treatment.
• Obtains written authorization and complete the donor risk assessment interview (DRAI).
• Educate the family on the donation process and facilitate their wishes, including presence during terminal withdrawal if authorized.
• Support the family with closure rituals and preparation for hospital departure, regardless of donation decisions.
• Maintain ongoing communication with the Organ Recovery Coordinator (ORC) and Administrator on Call (AOC).
• Document case specifics including family dynamics, healthcare team interactions, and environmental considerations.
• Participate in internal and external case reviews for continual quality improvement.

Organ Referral & Donor Management

• Respond promptly and appropriately to all donor referrals, local and import.
• Maintain professional behavior and attitude toward hospital staff, physicians, peers, and directors.
• Conduct on-site evaluations of potential organ donors.
• Review hospital charts and current records of potential donors; document findings and follow-up plans.
• Participate in medical rounds on assigned units.
• Assist hospital staff and attending physicians with donor management as needed.

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Public Relations, Healthcare, Communications, Social Work, Child Life Specialist, or a related field required. Exceptional work experience may be substituted for education requirements.

Experience: Three years' experience in healthcare, marketing, communications, business development, or social work with a preference for direct clinical experience. Candidate must have excellent communication, collaboration, and analytical skills.

Licensure, Certification, and/or Registration: N/A

About Us

Network for Hope is a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving and enhancing lives through organ and tissue donation. We work tirelessly to provide exceptional care to our donor families, facilitate organ and tissue recovery, and educate the communities we serve. The dynamic field of organ and tissue donation offers exciting and rewarding employment opportunities for those looking to make a meaningful difference in others' lives.

Benefits

Network for Hope offers comprehensive benefits, including health, dental, and vision insurance, paid time off, 401K, life and disability insurance, pet insurance discounts, and wellness programs like Calm. We also provide education reimbursement, flexible schedules, and on-the-job training to support personal and professional growth.

To learn more about NFH, please visit our website at http://www.networkforhope.org.

Network for Hope is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a participant of E-Verify.