Quality Specialist

Job Summary

The Quality Specialist reviews, monitors, and analyzes data to drive quality improvement that improves delivery of safe patient care as measured by external reporting programs such as CMS, Vizient, Leapfrog, and USNEWS. They serve as the lead in coordinating all activities around submission, reporting, program optimization and identification of improvement opportunities.

Job Description

• Minimum Qualifications:
  • Education: Bachelor's Degree in a work-related field/discipline (i.e. public health, business, economics, computer science, nursing, pharmacy) from an accredited college or university, preferred.
  • Licenses/Certifications: Project Management, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, or Robust Process Improvement certification preferred.
  • Experience/Knowledge/Skills: Three (3) years of healthcare experience with a bachelor's, five (5) years of experience in lieu of a degree, within a large acute care hospital or health care system within one or more of the following areas:
  • Data-driven performance improvement
  • Quality assurance/quality improvement
  • Value-based care
• Self-motivated, proven communication skills, and ability to influence.
• Demonstrated effective working relationship with physicians and leadership.
• Ability to work collaboratively with health care professionals at all levels to achieve established goals and improve quality outcomes.
• Strong team facilitation skills including building trust and open communication regarding project issues and results.
• Demonstrated expertise in data analysis and working knowledge of U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) program required.

Principal Accountabilities

• Utilizes the Clinical Effectiveness framework to ensure that performance improvement initiatives focus on improving outcomes, appropriateness of care, patient centeredness, and value.
• Captures and analyzes data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Coordinates project initiatives, meetings, and clinical program management to achieve service and unit-specific goals and strategic direction.
• Applies multiple performance improvement methodologies and tools to projects (e.g. Lean, Six Sigma, FMEA).
• Applies advanced quantitative skills and ability to use statistics to evaluate and interpret data, summarize results and make recommendations.
• Responsible for understanding and use of structure to drive process changes and how to use processes to drive towards desired outcomes.
• Knowledge and ability to use decision support systems such as Access or other relational databases.
• Influences effectively to create synergy, prioritize projects, set goals and actions plans, and measure impact.
• Stays abreast of inpatient/outpatient quality measures receiving external visibility and attention (e.g. CMS, HealthGrades, US News & World Report, Leapfrog, HEDIS).
• Participates in and coordinates comprehensive data collection for compliance of national, state, regional and internal clinical quality measures.
• Identifies improvement opportunities based on evidence based clinical practices and statistical analysis of current practice patterns.
• Contributes to short term and long term RPI projects to continuously improve the clinical quality measuring, monitoring and compliance program.
• Facilitates site or RPI project teams.
• Ensures safe care to patients, staff and visitors; adheres to all Memorial Hermann policies, procedures, and standards within budgetary specifications including time management, supply management, productivity and quality of service.
• Promotes individual professional growth and development by meeting requirements for mandatory/continuing education and skills competency; supports department-based goals which contribute to the success of the organization; serves as preceptor, mentor and resource to less experienced staff.
• Models Memorial Hermann’s service standards by providing safe, caring, personalized and efficient experiences to patients and colleagues.