Manager, Laboratory Quality Assurance & Point of Care

Trinity Health•Maywood, IL

7d•$96,782 - $159,792

About The Position

The Manager of Laboratory Quality Assurance & Point of Care plans, leads, and implements the practices, technologies, statistics, and medical testing considerations needed to establish, assess, improve, and maintain laboratory quality assurance, safety, licensure, accreditation, and regulatory compliance in collaboration with regional laboratory leadership. The role directs performance improvement and total quality management initiatives and integrates laboratory quality, safety, and compliance efforts with improvement activities across Loyola Medicine. This regional position covers quality and point-of-care operations across LUMC, MNH, GMH, Cancer Centers, and ambulatory site laboratories. The manager directs regional Point-of-Care Testing (POCT), providing clinical expertise and guidance and assuring quality results for testing performed by qualified laboratory and non-laboratory employees in compliance with accreditation and regulatory requirements. The position oversees regional quality management and performance improvement systems; develops standardized quality processes; prepares laboratories for inspections; coordinates accreditation and regulatory reviews; and provides technical and administrative oversight of POCT. The manager works with medical, administrative, nursing, and physician leadership, supervises laboratory staff and regional POC coordinators, investigates reported concerns and adverse events, and uses laboratory and electronic medical record systems to support troubleshooting, quality initiatives, and statistical analysis.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology or another laboratory science.
Six to ten years of previous job-related experience.
Previous clinical laboratory experience in progressively responsible roles.
Certified Medical Technologist, Medical Laboratory Scientist, laboratory discipline-specific or specialty certificate (ASCP or AMT).
Six Sigma Green Belt.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Business or Healthcare Administration.
Experience in laboratory regulatory compliance and accreditation.
Management experience.

Responsibilities

Oversee the region’s total quality management and performance improvement systems, including project management of quality activities and performance and metrics improvement.
Collaborate with medical directors and laboratory leadership to identify and implement quality improvement, Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent processes to improve laboratory efficiencies and methodologies.
Lead education and development of a quality culture, guide quality management teams, and supervise laboratory staff working on quality improvement projects and initiatives.
Develop and implement a regional quality management program for regional, rapid response, and satellite laboratories, including point-of-care testing, aligned with organizational objectives and regulatory and accreditation standards.
Collaborate with other Loyola Medicine departments on organizational quality and process improvement, and facilitate standardized quality management systems across the region.
Assess and ensure laboratory readiness for inspections by licensing and accrediting agencies; direct accreditation and interim review processes, including applications, fees, inspections, conferences, deficiency responses, follow-up, and recordkeeping.
Establish, implement, maintain, and monitor laboratory quality assurance, performance standards, and compliance; participate in surveys, peer reviews, and other quality initiatives.
Represent the laboratories on assigned Loyola Medicine committees, participate in operational excellence and performance improvement events, communicate quality information and corrective actions, and facilitate regional laboratory quality council meetings.
Provide regional technical and administrative oversight of POCT and standardize its processes, documentation, accreditation, compliance, education, and competencies.
Collaborate with nursing and physician leadership to assess and implement POCT instrumentation-based patient-care, operational, and financial data; supervise regional POC coordinators.
Ensure POCT results are accurate, non-laboratory staff competencies are documented appropriately, and testing and laboratory safety standards are followed.
Receive and investigate VOICE reports, coordinate resolution with involved areas, provide feedback to care providers about performance issues and adverse events, and facilitate use of tracer methodology for regulatory preparedness.
Document, implement, and assess corrective actions; evaluate laboratory data and other information to optimize services and utilization and address recurring problems.
Use Epic, Sunquest, CoPath, Histotrac, and other information systems to respond to surveys, troubleshoot reports and patient events, support quality initiatives, and perform statistical analysis.