Dir Patient Safety

Summary:
The Director of Patient Safety reports to the Vice President Operational Excellence (OpX). Under general supervision and within Lifespan established policies and procedures develops directs coordinates and evaluates patient safety events patient safety programs and the culture of safety. Directs and manages coordination collection and analysis of patient safety data for internal comparison and external reporting through Lifespan�s electronic event reporting system (SafetyNet) to the Patient Safety Organization (PSO). Provides oversight for the medical event reporting workflow to ensure appropriate timely root cause identification and analyses and related improvement project timelines. Establishes and maintains processes to ensure timely event review to ensure relevant internal action as well as timely event data submission to the Patient Safety Organization via SafetyNet. Provides strategic leadership and oversight for the development implementation and evaluation patient safety metrics and their associated processes to achieve optimal outcomes compliance with evidenced-based care and identifies need for improvement when necessary.

Responsibilities:
Oversees and reviews selected quality issues and provides guidance for staff to lead investigations of critical events. Assists with clinical root cause/FMEA team projects using methodologies and tools utilized at Lifespan and facilitates development of corrective action plans when indicated; and oversight and monitoring as appropriate. Provides feedback reports to staff members and leadership. Assists and supports the development of reports submitted to regulatory and accrediting agencies including the Department of Health the Joint Commission others. Interfaces within the division of Operational Excellence (OpX) as needed and with other quality initiatives and committees as requested and necessary across Lifespan. Directs the effective utilization of resources (e.g. people financial material equipment) to meet established goals and objectives. Establishes departmental priorities to ensure activities support established organizational priorities and strategies.



Provides leadership to site and/or system-wide improvement teams using various performance improvement methodologies. Manages clinical and patient safety data needs and leads team(s) toward implementing successful improvement strategies.



Monitors overall performance metrics for diagnostic populations as assigned and for communicating with internal and external customers related to monitoring clinical patient safety and operational performance metrics as requested. Responsible for achieving improved performance in all areas of core measure and reported/monitored metrics.



Provides strategic leadership in the development implementation and evaluation of comprehensive Patient Safety Plans for all Lifespan affiliates ensuring external regulatory and accreditation expectations are met. Educates Lifespan and affiliate executive management department leaders and members of the medical staff in the changing and emerging local and national patient safety initiatives.

Develops and recommends short- and long-term goals for patient safety in consideration of Lifespan and its affiliates� mission values and key business objectives and national quality indicators and patient safety initiatives. Identifies resources required to achieve desired results. Develops recommends implements and monitors capital and operating budgets to support system patient safety functions.



Assigns trained staff to lead RCA activities. Provides project management data gathering and analysis and decision-making support for department initiatives focused on clinical patient safety measures reporting and improvement. Identifies issues through failure analysis; leads or assists improvement teams in understanding issues and improvement opportunities. Provides tracking and oversight for all performance improvement plans and ensures implemented actions are effective by requesting and evaluating objective data in support of improved outcomes. Oversees processes identified within the Lifespan Patient Safety Evaluation System (PSES) and for the protection of Lifespan Patient Safety Work Product (PSWP).



Assists the Vice President Operational Excellence in planning activities to ensure dissemination of information for hospital-wide and system-wide improvement efforts. Directs the flow of relevant information to appropriate hospital and Lifespan representatives and committees. Collaborates with system and affiliate executives (e.g. EVP Nursing Affairs EVP Physician Affairs CMOs CNOs) OpX divisional leaders Risk Management Department Nursing Departments Pharmacy Department and other departments across Lifespan to ensure optimal workflow and accurate reporting of event data.



Ensures successful implementation of the tools of Lean Six Sigma through implementation of the Operational Excellence (OpX) program at Lifespan. Develops and implements strategies for adoption of Lean Six Sigma by medical staff leadership and staff across Lifespan to drive high quality patient care organizational productivity and positive financial results. Using the tools of Lean Six Sigma conducts assessments of organizational effectiveness at system hospital and department levels.



Facilitates and coaches staff leading teams working to improve performance. Coordinates and supports the implementation of improvement tactics in alignment with organizational priorities. Identifies and presents best practices and other tactics needed to improve performance. Presents educates frontline staff and other key stake holders on tactics and execution. Monitors and makes suggestions to improve best practices and their integration into existing systems.



Prepares patient safety reports to Lifespan and affiliate Quality Committees Board Quality Committee Medical Staff Executive and Medical Staff Quality Improvement system- and affiliate-based patient safety structures and other relevant committees.



Performs other duties as assigned.

Other information:
QUALIFICATIONS-EDUCATION:



A Bachelor�s Degree in Nursing is required. Master�s degree in related healthcare field required. Six Sigma Black Belt certification required. Six Sigma Green Belt certification acceptable with attainment of Black Belt certification within 18 months of entering position required. CPHQ or other quality certifications preferred. Certified RCA facilitator preferred.



QUALIFICATIONS-EXPERIENCE:



A minimum of five (5) years of related experience is a must particularly in quality measurement and reporting systems oversight over physician peer review programs and process evaluation and improvement. Five years of relevant experience in patient safety programming risk management conducting FMEA�s and use of root cause analysis tools facilitation of small and large groups/project teams performance improvement systems and/or process improvement methods and standards. A record of successful performance improvement activities and effective project management skills is required. Must have experience with electronic health record applications and modules Microsoft Office Suite (e.g. Word Excel Access PowerPoint) other computer applications database development and outcomes management. Proficiency Windows-based PC environments and statistical software packages used for analysis and graphing.



Strong group facilitation and project management skills required. Ability to collaborate and lead various project teams. Solid written/verbal presentation critical thinking and analytical skills required.



SUPERVISION:



Supervisory responsibilities for up to thirty-five professional and support staff. Includes selection direction and evaluation of work.

Brown University Health is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex national origin age ethnicity sexual orientation ancestry genetics gender identity or expression disability protected veteran or marital status. Brown University Health is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

Location: Brown University Health Corporate Services USA:RI:Providence

Work Type: Full Time

Shift: Shift 1

Union: Non-Union