Clinical Quality Leader I

Company Description

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better health care, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. We pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, our goal is to take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

Job Description

The Clinical Quality Leader I reflect the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

Participates with interdisciplinary clinical groups to define, measure and analyze quality and patient safety issues and practice concerns on behalf of quality committees.  Defines, collects, analyzes and presents data cogently to identify trends. Masters relevant evidence and literature in relevant clinical area, discipline, and improvement science. Participates in and may lead improvement activities utilizing DMAIC, Lean, and other performance improvement tools as appropriate.  Applies knowledge of professional standards, current research, best practices, and interdisciplinary collaboration to advance problem analysis and resolution and creative process redesign. Participates in developing policies, procedures and standards advancing clinical quality measurement.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Collaborate with operational and medical leadership to identify, develop and implement successful communication, education, and process solutions to engage staff and produce improved processes and outcomes.
• Partner with medical staff leadership to select measures for Ongoing and Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE/FPPE), as assigned.
• Coordinate peer review cases for individual department meetings and quality committees, and assist department leadership with the completion of peer review minutes/forms, as assigned.
• Perform medical record reviews and data analysis that assist in identifying potential quality issues and opportunities for improvement in patient care services.
• Lead or participate in local, regional and/or system committees, multidisciplinary improvement projects, and RCAs/FMEAs with measurable results.
• Facilitate committee meetings, including development of committee structure, meeting minutes, reports, dashboards, and related correspondence.
• Research and develop quality measurement, evaluation and improvement approaches with support from manager/mentor/peers.
• Develop skills to contribute to organizational learning and dissemination through publication, presentation, collaboration with clinical colleagues on these efforts.
• Apply professional clinical knowledge and other clinical standards, best practices, and interdisciplinary collaboration, relevant to assigned clinical area, to advance problem analysis and resolution and creative process redesign.
• Assist clinical teams and leadership to respond to quality-related queries from external constituencies: patients, families, payers, media, researchers, etc.
• Assure compliance with relevant quality / process improvement regulatory and accreditation requirements.
• Knowledgeable in quality and patient safety, quality measures and measurement, relevant statistical tools, and associated methodologies (e.g., RCA, FMEA, DMAIC, and NM Toolkit).  Familiarity with major sources of measures, literature, and quality- and patient-safety-related federal and state policy.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree with a clinical background, or a Master’s Degree in a healthcare related field.

Experience:

• 2+ years of work experience in a healthcare setting, with 1+ year of quality, patient safety, or relevant experience.
• Medical record review/abstraction experience

Behavioral Attributes:

• Relevant computer skills (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, electronic medical records, clinical databases)
• Effective leadership, facilitation, collaboration and communication (oral, written) skills.
• Strong writing and presentation skills, good organizational skills, and excellent critical thinking skills.  

Preferred:

• Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) or Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) or other evidence of advanced commitment to profession

Additional Information

Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

Background Check

Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check.  Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. 

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Please visit our Benefits section to learn more.

Sign-on Bonus Eligibility (if sign-on bonus offered for position): Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position at NM may be eligible depending upon the job family.