Quality Assurance Specialist

About the role

The Quality Assurance Specialist III position plays a critical role in ensuring that the service systems meet certain standards. This involves surveilling a range of indicators, conducting audits, surveys, and compliance reviews, and providing technical assistance and support.

Responsibilities

• Conducts audits, surveys and content-specific compliance reviews to determine the center’s level of compliance with certification requirements, standards, laws, rules, policies and procedures.
• Reviews data and documentation entered in electronic and written systems and verifies the information for accuracy.
• Provides technical guidance for staff within the assigned area.
• Develops instructional materials and conducts staff training as assigned.
• Implements the goals and priorities for the Quality Improvement department including promoting a culture of quality by fostering a blame-free, inquisitive environment that fosters collaboration, creativity, and psychological safety.
• Collaborates with others to analyze and effectively display data, using tools such as pivot tables, scatter charts, wishbone diagrams, histograms and pareto charts.
• Coordinates activities related to investigations and surveys by HHSC Regulatory for recertification, incidents and complaints, including collecting data and disseminating information before surveys and assisting surveyors/auditors during the survey process.
• Presents the evidence to the surveyors upon their return visit, as assigned.
• Participates in the Center’s QA/QI Council which sets priorities, establishes goals and monitors the progress of performance improvement activities.

Requirements

Knowledge of ICF/IID Standards, interpretive guidelines and survey process. Knowledge of state and federal standards, laws and regulations pertinent to the facility, including ICF/IDD standards and the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), HHSC rules and regulations, or the ability to develop this knowledge.

Knowledge of how to use tools such as pivot tables, scatter charts, wishbone diagrams, histograms and pareto charts to effectively communicate data. Knowledge of basic quality improvement concepts and terminology.

Knowledge of the individual support plans including active treatment, interdisciplinary team processes, health and safety issues.

Skills in defining problems, collecting data, establishing facts, conducting root cause/contributory factor analysis. Skill in using computers and agency/facility software including, but not limited to, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and SharePoint. Skill in helping others to define complex problems.

Ability to write or participate in writing policies/guidelines to ensure facility compliance with applicable standards. Ability to train staff, including training and mentoring new Quality Assurance Specialists. Ability to gather, assemble, and analyze data for trend analysis. Ability to effectively facilitate work groups and meetings. Ability to communicate effectively to provide program consultation and conduct training sessions. Ability to manage time with latitude for independent judgment. Ability to manage time, resources, and workload independently and efficiently. Ability to be flexible and independent in responding to departmental needs.