Maternal Mortality Review Panel Medical Case Abstractor (NCPH) DOH8946

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is dedicated to protecting and improving the health of people across Washington. The Perinatal Early Childhood Assessment & Reporting (PEAR) Section provides strategic information and data to guide policy and programs serving Washington’s populations, focusing on health status, healthcare, behaviors, services, and related issues.

About the role

This home-based (remote) position is a permanent, part-time (.60) role with a work schedule of 24 hours per week. The Maternal Health unit provides advanced epidemiologic assessment, surveillance, and evaluation leadership for programs in the Office of Family and Community Health Improvement (OFCHI), with a focus on perinatal, maternal, and infant health. This role offers public health nursing leadership and consultation for the Maternal Mortality Review, including creating detailed narratives from clinical record abstraction and supporting quality improvement initiatives to reduce maternal mortality. You will serve as a cross-office and statewide resource for public and private entities, including local agencies, clinicians, and the public.

Responsibilities

• Clinical Review & Abstraction
  • Oversee and assist in the clinical abstraction process.
  • Conduct in-depth clinical reviews, organize sourced medical records, and compile materials to build comprehensive case narratives.
  • Determine if deaths are potentially pregnancy-related and categorize them as pregnancy-related, pregnancy-associated (but not related), or unclassifiable based on cause, timing, and other critical variables.
  • Maintain up-to-date clinical knowledge on key causes of maternal mortality and best practice standards of care.
• Panel Presentations & Collaboration
  • Consult with the Maternal Mortality Review Panel (MMRP) using the Core Summary Report and clinical expertise.
  • Present detailed cases to the MMRP.
  • Support the state’s MMRP and the Washington State Perinatal Collaborative (WSPC) in identifying and implementing targeted clinical improvements.
  • Assist in disseminating findings and recommendations to the public, clinicians, and policymakers.
• Family & Community Engagement
  • Support informant interviews as part of the abstraction process for select cases to gain a holistic view of circumstances.
  • Provide grief and trauma-related support to families and communities to foster meaningful engagement.
  • Assess and accommodate specific communication needs (language, format, or physical) to ensure clear communication with informants.
  • Strictly maintain confidentiality of case information.

Requirements

• A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or related degree.
• Current, unencumbered Registered Nurse (RN) licensure in the State of Washington.
• Two years’ experience in public health nursing in an administrative, consultative, or teaching role, with an emphasis on quality improvement and quality assurance within medical record review.
• Two years’ experience in medical records abstraction, maternal health mortality and morbidity efforts, substance use disorder programs, or conducting medical facility site visits.

Skills

• Experience applying quality improvement tools to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and overall quality.
• Demonstrates cultural, ethnic, and gender sensitivity and competence when working with customers and community partners.
• Applies professional and technical nursing knowledge and skills about maternal health in policy, program development, training, quality assurance, and technical assistance.
• Coaches, inspires, and motivates staff and others to accomplish tasks and empowers them to take action.
• Facilitates development of shared mission, vision, and key values to guide actions.
• Skilled in strategic and project planning to align activities and resources with organizational mission and strategy.
• Effectively partners with providers and stakeholders to identify, evaluate, and resolve complex or sensitive issues.
• Strong communication skills, demonstrating tact and an interest in customer needs and perspectives.
• Ability to learn, grow, and meet the needs of others.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in nursing or public health, with preference for approved public health curricula.
• License or certification in substance use disorder, medical coding, or experience working with Medicaid and Medicaid managed care.
• Four years’ experience in public health nursing in an administrative, consultative, or teaching role.
• Experience with complex service systems and facilitating outcome-based team activities related to strategic planning and evaluation.
• Ability to develop, implement, and monitor organizational performance standards.
• Skilled in coordinating and leading groups.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package supporting health, financial security, and work-life balance, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Life and long-term disability insurance.
• Flexible spending and health savings accounts.
• Retirement plans.
• Paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave.
• Dependent care assistance and professional development opportunities.

Schedule

• Part-time (.60), 24 hours per week.
• Standard business hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with flexibility to adjust as needed.
• Occasional travel may be required for meetings, consultations, or presentations.

Working Conditions

• Home-based (remote) position with occasional in-person attendance at various locations throughout Washington State.
• Requires reliable internet access for remote work.
• Uses standard office equipment (computer, phone, etc.).
• Daily contact with office-level managers, staff, and external partners.
• This position is covered by a bargaining unit (SEIU Healthcare 1199NW).
• May participate in public health emergency preparedness and response activities.