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Patient Actor Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Houston Methodist

Patient Liaison

Willowbrook, IL · On-site

Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital (Monday - Friday) 8 hours per day At Houston Methodist, the Patient Liaison position is responsible for acting as an advocate for patient issues effectively ...

Houston Methodist

Sr Patient Liaison

Willowbrook, IL · On-site

Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital : [Monday - Friday] At Houston Methodist, the Sr Patient Liaison position is responsible for acting as advocate for patient issues effectively and participates ...

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All JobsPatient Actor JobsPatient Actor Jobs in Chicago, IL

Patient Actor information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$13

$21

$33

How much do patient actor jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 31, 2026, the average hourly pay for patient actor in Chicago, IL is $22.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.83 and $26.49 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a patient actor?

Patient actors, also known as standardized patients, are individuals trained to simulate real patients in order to help medical students and professionals practice clinical and communication skills. They portray specific medical conditions, histories, and symptoms in a consistent manner during exams or training sessions. This allows healthcare providers to practice diagnosis, patient interaction, and bedside manner in a controlled and educational setting.

What are the typical responsibilities of a patient actor during a medical simulation session?

As a Patient Actor, your primary responsibility is to accurately portray specific symptoms, medical histories, and emotional states to help medical students or professionals practice their clinical and communication skills. You may be required to memorize scripts, provide consistent feedback, and participate in debriefings after sessions. It's important to maintain a high level of professionalism, adapt to various scenarios, and collaborate closely with instructors and evaluators to ensure a realistic and educational experience for learners.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a patient actor, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Patient Actor, you need strong acting skills, attention to detail, and the ability to accurately portray medical scenarios, often supported by experience in theater or performance. Familiarity with medical terminology, simulation protocols, and sometimes basic healthcare certifications are valuable for this role. Excellent communication, adaptability, and professionalism are crucial soft skills for receiving feedback and collaborating with educators and healthcare trainees. These abilities are important to create realistic, effective learning experiences that enhance the training and assessment of medical professionals.

What is the difference between Patient Actor vs Patient Simulator?

AspectPatient ActorPatient Simulator
CredentialsMinimal; acting skills often preferredTechnical certifications or programming knowledge sometimes required
Work EnvironmentHospitals, training centers, simulation labsSimulation labs, medical training facilities, hospitals
Employer & Industry UsageMedical training programs, hospitals, educational institutionsMedical schools, hospitals, simulation centers
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding roles in medical training, acting in healthcareTechnical training, medical simulation, healthcare education

Patient Actors perform as real patients to help train healthcare professionals, focusing on acting and communication skills. Patient Simulators are advanced devices or mannequins used for realistic medical training, often requiring technical knowledge. While both roles support medical education, Patient Actors emphasize interaction and acting, whereas Patient Simulators focus on technical medical procedures.

How much do patient actors make?

Patient actors typically earn between $15 and $30 per hour, depending on the location, experience, and the complexity of the role. Some may be paid a flat fee for specific assignments or sessions, especially in medical training or research settings.

How to become a patient actor?

To become a patient actor, individuals typically need to have good communication skills, a reliable appearance, and the ability to follow instructions. Many roles require training or experience in acting or healthcare simulation, and some positions may require background checks or certifications. Building a portfolio or demo reel can help in securing assignments for medical training, research, or educational purposes.

What are popular job titles related to Patient Actor jobs in Chicago, IL?

For Patient Actor jobs in Chicago, IL, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Patient Actor jobs in Chicago, IL look for?

The top searched job categories for Patient Actor jobs in Chicago, IL are:

Patient Actor jobs near you
Infographic showing various Patient Actor job openings in Chicago, IL as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 68% Full Time, and 32% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $45,752 per year, or $22 per hour.

Patient Liaison

Houston Methodist

Willowbrook, IL • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 14 days ago

Houston Methodist rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 301 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

55th of 896 rated healthcare providers

Job description

Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital (Monday - Friday) 8 hours per day
At Houston Methodist, the Patient Liaison position is responsible for acting as an advocate for patient issues effectively interpreting and communicating Houston Methodist's philosophy, policies, procedures and services to patients, their families and visitors and participates in the resolution of problems to maximize patient and family satisfaction This position receives grievances, complaints, and concerns from patients, their families and others; works with patients and families along with department management for resolution in accordance with HM grievance policy and regulatory guidelines. As Patient Liaison, this position liaises between Houston Methodist administration and patients, physicians, and other hospital personnel ensuring a satisfying hospital experience for patients from admission through discharge. As a patient advocate, the Patient Liaison position enables patients and their families to obtain solutions to problems by acting on their behalf.FLSA STATUS
Exempt
QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
  • Bachelor's degree

EXPERIENCE
  • Two years experience as a patient liaison or comparable health care/customer service/conflict resolution experience

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
RequiredPreferred
  • BLS - Basic Life Support or Instructor (AHA)

SKILLS AND ABILITIES
  • Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going 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
  • Must have excellent communications skills and be able to relate to patients, families, and across all hospital staff and management
  • Must be able to work with people of various age groups and cultural backgrounds
  • Ability to accurately document information and maintain records
  • Must have excellent problem resolution and crisis management skills
  • Critical thinking, problem-solving, and mature judgment
  • Ability to express ideas effectively both in speech and writing
  • Intermediate level of computer competency - Microsoft Office Suite, and knowledge of health care information systems

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Meets and/or rounds on all new patients. Directs patients and/or families to appropriate resources when specific requests are made, i.e. Medical Power of Attorney, Directives, End of Life issues, etc
  • Communicates directly with department management, their designee and/or administrative staff regarding specific problems and trends in service
  • Interacts with patients, families and visitors, providing support and problem solving. As appropriate, consults with Sr Patient Liaisons/supervising leader when problems arise that require an additional level of experience
  • Contributes towards improvement of department scores for employee engagement, i.e. peer-to-peer accountability.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Assigns priority to patient requests and problems and follows the process through to resolution, notifying all parties of status of solution
  • Interviews patients who have stated a specific need for services. Provides information about services offered by the hospital. Interprets hospital policies and procedures as needed to ensure that the patient understands the types and levels of services provided
  • Ensures adequate closure to patient issues through thorough and prompt follow-up facilitating the resolution of problems to the satisfaction of the patient and HM
  • Intervenes in complaints or conflict with the interests of patients, families, physicians and other inter-professional health care team members to increase patient satisfaction scores and reporting their appreciation, comments, concerns, and/or problems

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Receives grievances, complaints, and concerns from patients, their families and others; works with patients and families along with department management for resolution. Responds to all grievances according to the HM grievance policy and appropriate regulatory guidelines. Partners with Risk/Quality as appropriate
  • Utilizes pertinent findings from Patient Satisfaction Surveys, Customer Complaint Data and other sources to identify areas of focus and implement proactive interventions as the patient advocate
  • Documents results of patient interview, obstacles to delivery of services, grievances, complaints and compliments in appropriate database. When appropriate, initiates a corrective action and sends to department management for investigation and resolution

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Identifies cost savings or revenue opportunities within the department or Houston Methodist
  • Utilizes resources with cost effectiveness and value creation in mind. Self-motivated to independently manage time effectively and prioritize daily tasks, assisting coworkers as needed

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
  • Participates in department projects and process improvement initiatives. Generates and communicates ideas and suggestions that improve quality or service
  • Seeks opportunities to identify self-development needs and takes appropriate action. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an on-going basis

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
    WORK ATTIRE
    • Uniform: No
    • Scrubs: No
    • Business professional: Yes
    • Other (department approved): 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.
    • On Call* Yes

    TRAVEL**
    **Travel specifications may vary by department**
    • May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area No
    • May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Work Shift:
1 - Day (United States of America)
Job Category:
Non-clinicalHouston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital is a Magnet-recognized, not-for-profit, faith-based hospital that serves the growing Northwest Houston community. We are committed to providing quality, cost-effective health care in a compassionate environment for a full range of services, including emergency care, cardiology, orthopedics and sports medicine, comprehensive women's services, neurology and neurosurgery, oncology, and primary and general medicine.
Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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