Senior Risk and Quality Specialist (RN)

At Houston Methodist, the Senior Quality Outcomes Specialist position is responsible for assessing and facilitating clinical systems and/or processes to ensure that care delivered is safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient and equitable. This position identifies outcomes variances, taking initiative for timely resolution of potential concerns, and utilizes the ability to synthesize an analysis of complex systems, developing and implementing solutions to improve complex processes and goals. Other responsibilities include supporting and promoting the organization-wide clinical performance improvement/patient safety program and culture; and serving as departmental expert for areas of expertise, sharing knowledge, effective tools and educational materials as appropriate. Additionally, this position serves as a resource and expert in performance improvement methodologies to clinical staff; conducts educational offerings to support training, mentoring, and precepting of team members; and conducts review, analysis, and integration of data in workflow design to support team, departmental and organizational mission and goals.

FLSA STATUS
Exempt

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing, allied health, healthcare administration, business administration or a clinical discipline required
• Bachelor's degree in nursing is preferred
• Master’s degree preferred

EXPERIENCE

• Seven years of experience in clinical care activities in an acute care hospital setting to include four years clinical care activities and three years quality experience. For HM employees four years of clinical care activities and one year experience in quality required
• Two years of experience that demonstrates progressive leadership

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Required

• RN - Registered Nurse - Texas State Licensure - Texas Board of Nursing_PSV Compact Licensure – Must obtain permanent Texas license within 60 days (if establishing Texas residency) and
• Certification: CPHQ, CPPS, or CPSO within 18 months

SKILLS 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
• Demonstrates knowledge and application of process improvement tools and techniques (statistical process control tools and team tools)
• Demonstrates knowledge of regulatory and accrediting standards as they apply to performance improvement
• Skill in developing and maintaining interpersonal relationships with a wide variety of healthcare professionals and hospital leadership
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions and evidence performance improvement via measurable results
• Ability to enter and abstract data using personal computer, as well as the ability to utilize data to facilitate the improvement and change in processes
• Computer skills to include Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Ability to facilitate performance improvement teams, present data and promote a collaborative approach toward goal achievement
• Ability to work independently and interdependently
• Presentation skills and expertise in designing and implementing teams/educational offerings related to clinical quality

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Leads facility partners to bring expert assessment and problem-solving skills to ensure reliable, safe systems of care for all patients.
• Develops and maintains positive working relationships with leadership, physicians, colleagues and peers and works collaboratively to achieve desired outcomes. Serves as operational liaison to physicians and staff to support Care Management Performance Improvements (CMPI)/Project goals.
• Collaborates and effectively communicates and drives culture of safety and high-reliability initiatives; partners with leadership and clinicians to implement improvements. Increases patient safety and evidence-based practice awareness and practice among clinicians and staff through mentoring and education. Facilitates a multidisciplinary approach to improve clinical processes and outcomes. Makes recommendations to key leadership for team strategies to achieve desired outcomes.
• Manages project and process improvement expectations to stakeholders, sponsors and others, advising them on project progress, potential issues, obstacles, conflicts or challenges.
• Promotes organization-wide understanding of overall quality and patient safety program and culture. Serves as an expert resource to all levels of the organization regarding quality improvement activities. Serves as an expert resource and mentor for other Quality Outcome Specialists. May assist in creating and reviewing project designs.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Serves as a senior quality contact with leadership, managers and staff responsible for the execution of corrective actions initiatives/projects and compliance with customer requirements.
• Supports leadership with the development and implementation of patient safety and process improvement changes. Makes recommendations for unit-based process change initiatives.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Maintains all programs to ensure compliance to accreditation standards and regulatory agency requirements. Conducts record review for performance improvement, peer review, patient safety, risk managements and other projects. Tracks, analyzes and uses data for trending and develops appropriate actions plans and strategies in collaboration with clinicians and leadership.
• Facilitates timely and effective resolutions of patient care process issues. Uses performance improvement methodologies in the development of performance improvement/patient safety initiatives and coordinates teams as needed to drive change towards desired outcomes. Monitors compliance with clinical protocols, pathways and evidence-based care along the continuum for various hospital patient populations.
• Facilitates a multi-disciplinary approach to improve clinical process and outcomes. Monitors and evaluates clinical performance of CMPI and Project efforts using defined metrics and desired outcomes. Makes recommendations to key leadership for team strategies to achieve desired outcomes. Makes recommendations to key leadership for team strategies to achieve desired outcomes.
• Abstracts pertinent information and enters into department databases using standardized methods and processes. Routinely performs discrepancy management activities to maintain data integrity. Presents meaningful reports and analysis with measurement description, statistical information, and benchmarking information. Monitors trends and provides feedback. Creates and presents executive summaries as needed to various audiences to drive change.
• Supports improvement efforts for potential or actual quality of care issues including participation/facilitation of Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA), Critical Incident Review (CIR) or event review as needed. Supports leadership and staff with the development and implementation of process changes. Conducts evaluation of effectiveness of initiatives and presents findings as needed. Facilitates systems’ design to hardwire patient safety processes.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Utilizes efficient and cost-effective work practices with department resources and supplies; provides recommendations to reduce expenses and to improve operational budget. Facilitates performance improvement projects/initiatives to improve outcomes, ultimately impacting hospital finances.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies and recommends opportunities for improvement in accordance with hospital leadership. Communicates innovative and best practices to hospital leadership and clinicians. Identifies opportunities to align policy and procedure with regulatory/accreditation requirements.
• Analyzes and assesses present and future needs, trends, challenges, and opportunities related to hospital processes and operations. Assists in the development of long-term tactics and strategies to improve operational processes.

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

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing, allied health, healthcare administration, business administration or a clinical discipline required
• Bachelor's degree in nursing is preferred
• Master’s degree preferred

EXPERIENCE

• Seven years of experience in clinical care activities in an acute care hospital setting to include four years clinical care activities and three years quality experience. For HM employees four years of clinical care activities and one year experience in quality required
• Two years of experience that demonstrates progressive leadership

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Required

• RN - Registered Nurse - Texas State Licensure - Texas Board of Nursing_PSV Compact Licensure – Must obtain permanent Texas license within 60 days (if establishing Texas residency) and
• Certification: CPHQ, CPPS, or CPSO within 18 months