Improvement Specialist - Shadyside Hospital

UPMC•Pittsburgh, PA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

UPMC Shadyside is seeking an Improvement Specialist to join its Patient Safety and Innovation Department. The Patient Safety Improvement Specialist reviews patient safety events and works with the Chief Nursing Officer, Medical Director of Patient Safety, and Patient Safety Officer to determine event classifications in accordance with Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority guidelines. The role facilitates and leads Root Cause Analyses using a Just Culture approach to identify system issues and improvement opportunities. It also supports improvement projects arising from good catches, high-risk near misses, and serious or sentinel events to strengthen patient safety and quality across the organization. The specialist leads or co-facilitates improvement teams, supports clinical redesign, coordinates project assessments, and helps set quality, cost, and service goals. The position communicates improvement activities to staff and leadership, collaborates with stakeholders across departments, monitors progress using data, and coaches and mentors teams. It also involves professional development and sharing improvement work through presentations or publications. This is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week position, Monday through Friday, with a hybrid model offering onsite and work-from-home availability. Periodic remote work opportunities may be available based on departmental needs.

Requirements

Minimum 5 years of related experience, including 3 years of hospital and/or healthcare experience, to be considered.
Minimum 7 years of improvement experience, including 5 years in Quality and/or healthcare, required for the posted salary.
Bachelor's degree in Nursing, Business Administration, or a related field required at time of hire or transfer.
Knowledge of information systems and process improvement techniques.
Ability to understand and interpret data.
Ability to establish and maintain positive, caring relationships with executives, managers, physicians, non-physician providers, ancillary and support staff, other departments, and patients and families.
Ability to work productively and effectively in a complex environment, handle multiple or changing priorities, and work with specialized equipment.
Exemplary critical-thinking, analytical, and problem-solving abilities related to various aspects of patient care.
Critical-thinking skills necessary to exercise and lead others.
Mobility and visual manual dexterity.
Physical stamina for frequent walking, standing, and lifting.
UPMC-approved certification required; a master's degree may be substituted in lieu of certification if the employee does not have an approved certification.
Act 34 clearance.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Business Administration preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead or co-facilitate teams aligned with annual assessments and organizational goals.
Assume leadership roles in core clinical design team meetings and key committees.
Support redesign efforts through delegated leadership duties and foster an environment supportive of departmental redesign work.
Coordinate assessments of new clinical design projects for implementation.
Conduct annual operational assessments using organizational data and surveys.
Contribute to setting quality, cost, and service goals based on assessment findings.
Communicate clinical design activities and improvements with staff, managers, and administration.
Consult with administrative and medical staff leaders, department heads, and committees.
Build positive relationships with staff and leaders across departments.
Partner with project area directors to facilitate work and negotiate support.
Apply tracking methods to monitor progress and identify redesign needs.
Collect and present accurate, timely data to demonstrate improvement results.
Use cost-effective approaches when planning team activities and integrate cost-saving opportunities into clinical practice changes.
Assess team development stages and apply strategies to help teams achieve goals.
Coach and advise team members in collaboration with their supervisors.
Provide mentorship at the department, unit, and team levels.
Maintain accountability for self-development facilitation, change management, and quality improvement.
Participate in professional organizations to enhance growth and build industry relationships.
Share accomplishments through presentations or publications at local, regional, and national forums.
Review patient safety events and work with designated clinical leaders to determine event classifications in accordance with Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority guidelines.
Facilitate and lead Root Cause Analyses using a Just Culture approach.
Support improvement projects arising from good catches, high-risk near misses, and serious or sentinel events.