Quality Improvement Specialist

North Central Health Care • Town of Wausau, WI

17h • Onsite

About The Position

The Quality Improvement Specialist is responsible for collecting data related to
patient experience to support performance improvement initiatives across North
Central Health Care. Supporting performance improvement and quality initiatives
across North Central, with a focus on Behavioral Health programs and the Skilled
Nursing Facility (SNF). This role plays a crucial part in ensuring data-driven
decision-making by collecting data, coordinating teams to resolve patient and
quality concerns, supporting projects and initiatives in the NCHC Quality
department, contributing to essential reports, tracking key quality indicators,
and assisting in regulatory matters. The Quality Improvement Specialist
collaborates with the Quality Manager, Compliance, and operational leaders to
enhance patient and resident care outcomes.

This role helps to ensure compliance with HIPAA, Joint Commission standards, and
applicable state and federal regulations.

Requirements

• Associate degree in human services, public health, healthcare administration, or a closely related field
• Minimum 1 year of experience in a healthcare or behavioral health setting
• Prior customer service, patient experience, or medical office experience
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and familiarity with Electronic Health Record (HER) systems
• Basic understanding of HIPAA, privacy regulations, and patient rights

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in human services, public health, healthcare administration, or a closely related field
• Experience in quality improvement, performance measurement, or compliance within a healthcare setting
• Knowledge of medical terminology and clinical documentation standards
• More than 2 years of experience in healthcare quality, patient experience, or regulatory compliance
• Familiarity with Joint Commission standards, CMS Conditions of Participation, and state regulations
• Certification in quality or compliance (CPHQ, CPPS, etc.)

Responsibilities

• Support Quality data collection and analysis efforts across Behavioral Health and Skilled Nursing Facility settings
• Responsible for collecting survey data related to the experience of clients, patients, and residents
• Assist in preparing data for quality reports, dashboards, and presentations for internal and external stakeholders
• Participate in various Quality Committees by providing accurate data to inform decision-making and improvement priorities
• Engage in complaint and grievance reviews and support in follow-up to ensure patient satisfaction and internal risk mitigation
• Support the Quality Manager in implementing performance improvement initiatives and monitoring compliance with regulatory standards (HIPAA, Joint Commission, CMS, DHS, etc.)
• Partner with clinical teams, leadership, and frontline staff to integrate data-driven insights into daily operations and review quality improvement efforts
• Identify workflow inefficiencies and recommend improvements
• Prepare and submit quality and compliance reports (e.g., Joint Commission)
• Support accreditation and survey readiness activities, including data collection and various audits
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement by engaging staff in quality initiatives and providing education on quality standards when necessary
• Respond to escalated inquiries from patients, staff, and external requestors
• Ensure confidentiality and compliance with HIPAA and other applicable privacy regulations in all data handling, reporting activities, and quality efforts
• Maintain regular attendance and meet performance expectations such as confidentiality & professionalism
• Adapt to changing regulatory requirements and workflows
• Performs other duties as assigned

Benefits

• PTO, paid holidays, health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, on-site bistro and cafeteria, employee assistance program, newly updated facility, and more.
• As a full-time employee of NCHC, you are eligible for the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS). The WRS is a hybrid defined benefit plan. It contains elements of both a 401(k) or defined contribution plan and a defined benefit plan. Participating staff contribute 7.2% and NCHC will match this at 100% each pay period!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees