Patient Safety and Risk Specialist

General Summary/Overview Statement

The Patient Safety and Risk Specialist will support the Sr. Manager of Patient Safety and Risk Management at Massachusetts General Hospital and Mass Eye and Ear Institute to oversee and manage hospital-wide patient safety initiatives and risk mitigation. This role will focus on carrying out daily activities while fostering Equity Informed High Reliability Concepts.

Other patient safety activities will focus on conducting proactive risk assessments and retrospective collaborative risk reviews.

Extensive, daily interaction with other Directors, Managers, hospital leadership, and staff in the Department of Quality and Safety is a key component of this role. The Patient Safety and Risk Specialist must also be able to coordinate projects and improvement activities across multiple academic and operational departments independently and mentor other patient safety and risk staff members. Because this role is in an active change management environment, this specialist will need to demonstrate flexibility and open mindedness as the contours of this position will evolve over time.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Responsible for the day-to-day coordination of adverse event management:

• Receives and reviews computerized safety event reports and telephone reports of safety events.

• Reviews all safety event reports to ensure timely and appropriate analysis and follow up.

• Identifies sentinel events, coordinates, and conducts sentinel event analyses.

• Works closely with the Patient/Family Relations department on risk and patient safety issues.

• Refers cases as directed to the CRICO for monitoring, investigation or defense and assists with the production of materials for defense.

• Ensures the institution is current with Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals, identifies emerging trends in Patient Safety, and supporting improvement teams related to patient safety initiatives.

• Manages reporting of appropriate adverse events to regulatory agencies, including DPH, DMH, and BRM QPS division, and coordinates/supports unannounced hospital surveys by DPH/DMH/Joint Commission for cause visits, etc.

• Assists with on-site visits by regulatory agencies, including the DPH.

• Identification and development of information related to equipment failures to ensure compliance with the reporting requirements of the Safe Medical Devices Act.

• Reviews and evaluates aggregate safety events and claims data, as well as other hospital information to identify high-risk activities, procedures, and departments.

• Recommends corrective and preventive actions to reduce risk. Collaborates with CRICO and hospital-based improvement teams on interventions.

• Continually evaluates hospital safety event reporting system for potential improvement.

• Identifies, recommends, and independently manages innovative patient safety initiatives.

• Assists in review and development of hospital policies.

• Participates in hospital patient safety initiatives and activities.

• Directs improvement activities related to safety and quality vulnerabilities, the Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals and develops innovative methods to monitor improvement.

• Performs as the content expert on improvement methodologies, including proactive risk assessments and imparts knowledge of improvement process to various safety projects.

• Assists hospital leaders in identifying barriers to implementing improvement plans and developing strategies to overcome these barriers.

• Recommends outcome measurement strategies and communication plans to hospital leadership.

• Develops the analytic and measurement strategy for all projects undertaken including development of key metrics, identification of data sources, and collection of baseline data.

• Works to transfer current patient safety concepts and initiatives throughout the organization, such as creation of culture change, increased reporting of adverse events and near misses, and increased transparency.

• Provides staff education to nurses, physicians, and committees regarding patient safety, non-punitive reporting, and error prevention.

• Works with Sr. Manager and clinical leaders to prepare regular presentations to board committees, patient care assessment committee, and other leadership and clinical groups, as needed.

• Participates in patient safety and risk assessment and management meetings.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

• Passionate about encouraging diversity, equity, multiculturalism, and inclusion in all aspects of work.

• Oriented towards promoting collaboration between every race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and all the other community characteristics.

• Experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion work, and/or with strong interest in developing this expertise preferred.

• Eager to work closely with our Medical Director for Equity in the analysis of events and experiences proactively to reduce disparities.

• Emotional IQ, cultural dexterity, and ability to work across uniqueness to facilitate challenging conversations critical to improve our system.

Mentoring/Training:

Participates in the orientation, training, and mentoring of department of quality and safety team members.

• Participates in presenting for site visits and other inter- departmental training sessions.

• Participates in precepting of multidisciplinary trainees from multiple programs/universities.

All other duties as assigned.

Skills/Abilities/Competencies

• Superior organizational skills and the ability to multitask.

• Initiative and ability to work independently with minimal supervision while thriving in a setting requiring collaboration and teamwork for maximal efficiency and effectiveness.

• Sophisticated listening and negotiation skills with demonstrable experience in operating effectively in a complex environment.

• Creativity and enthusiasm for developing and implementing new programs.

• Demonstrated effectiveness as both a team member and team facilitator; high degree of social facility in obtaining cooperation and support for a broad range of people. May facilitate medium to large groups.

• High degree of professionalism, discretion, respect, and confidentiality.

• Data management and analysis skills.

• Ability to complete work under pressure and to meet strict deadlines.

• Comfortable interacting with a vast array of administrative and clinical staff, ranging from the Chief Medical Officer and department Chairs to frontline care providers.

Working Conditions

• Office setting.

• Frequent, daily use of computer, telephone, and fax machine.

• Occasional early or late meetings to accommodate frontline staff members schedules.

• Highly confidential data and medical records materials require extreme discretion.

Qualifications

Qualifications

• Degree in Nursing, Pharmacy, or similar/related clinical field is highly preferred.

• Experience working in a large and complex health care organization preferred.

• A minimum of 5 years clinical experience.

• Computer and Internet skills and experience required: A working knowledge of MS Office products is essential for success in this position (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access).

EEO Statement

MGH is an Affirmative Action Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives, and ideas, we choose to lead. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.