Job Details

At Houston Methodist, the Quality Outcomes Specialist position is responsible for assessing and facilitating clinical systems and/or processes to ensure that care delivered is safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient and equitable. This position identifies outcomes variances, taking initiative for timely resolution of potential concerns, and utilizes ability to synthesize an analysis of complex systems, developing and implementing solutions to improve complex processes and goals. Other responsibilities include supporting and promoting the organization-wide clinical performance improvement/patient safety program and culture; and serving as departmental expert for areas of expertise, sharing knowledge, effective tools and educational materials as appropriate.

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Leads facility partners to bring expert assessment and problem solving skills to ensure reliable, safe systems of care for all patients.
• Develops and maintains positive working relationships with leadership, physicians, colleagues and peers and works collaboratively to achieve desired outcomes.
• Collaborates and effectively communicates and drives culture of safety and high reliability initiatives; partners with leadership and clinicians to implement improvements. Increases patient safety and evidence based practice awareness and practice among clinicians and staff through mentoring and education.
• Manages project and process improvement expectations to stakeholders, sponsors and others advising them on project progress, potential issues, obstacles, conflicts or challenges.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Serves as a key quality contact with leadership, managers and staff responsible for the execution of corrective actions initiatives/projects and compliance with customer requirements.
• Supports leadership with the development and implementation of quality improvement and patient safety process changes. Makes recommendations for unit-based process change activities. Evaluates the effectiveness of process change initiatives.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Facilitates and leads process and performance improvement teams and initiatives. Participates in and facilitates unit-based and departmental process change activities. Evaluates the effectiveness and sustainability of process change initiatives and makes changes as necessary to achieve goals.
• Tracks, analyzes, and uses data for trending and develops appropriate action plans and strategies in collaboration with clinicians and leadership.
• Abstracts pertinent information and enters into department databases using standardized methods and processes to maintain data integrity. Presents meaningful reports and analysis with measurement description, statistical information, and benchmarking information. Creates and presents executive summaries as needed to various audiences to drive change.
• Focuses on implementing and reinforcing principles that support a high-reliability organization. Contributes to the continued improvement of patient safety practices, employs evidence based practice and researches high reliability practices through national Patient Safety Organizations (e.g., Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF), Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), National Quality Forum (NQF)). Facilitates systems' design to hardwire patient safety processes.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Utilizes efficient and cost-effective work practices with department resource and supplies; provides recommendations to reduce expenses.
• Facilitates performance improvement projects/initiatives to improve outcomes, ultimately impacting hospital finances.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies and recommends opportunities for improvement in accordance with hospital leadership.
• Analyzes and assesses present and future needs, trends, challenges, and opportunities related to hospital processes and operations.
• Communicates innovative and best practices to hospital leadership and clinicians. Identifies opportunities to align policy and procedure with regulatory/accreditation requirements.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree in nursing
• Master's degree preferred

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Four years of experience in direct patient care activities in a hospital setting
• Two years of experience in Hospital Quality Improvement, Case Management or Utilization Management role preferred
• Two years of leadership experience preferred