Quality & Patient Safety Specialist

Emory•Atlanta, GA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Quality and Patient Safety Specialist develops, implements, and monitors programs that promote high standards of patient care, safety, and satisfaction. The role collaborates with clinical and non-clinical staff to support regulatory compliance, improve care delivery, and foster continuous improvement. Responsibilities include managing multidisciplinary quality and patient safety projects; coordinating safety initiatives and event investigations; designing and evaluating quality improvement projects; monitoring clinical outcomes and safety metrics; supporting regulatory and accreditation readiness; educating staff; developing safety protocols; and collaborating with clinical and administrative teams to manage risk and improve patient outcomes.

Requirements

At least 3–5 years of experience in a healthcare setting, with exposure to quality improvement and patient safety.
Master’s degree in nursing, healthcare administration, or a related field.
Candidates with more than 5 years of extensive relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a master’s degree; a bachelor’s degree is required for these candidates.
Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret data and identify actionable insights.
Excellent communication and leadership skills, including experience educating staff, engaging leadership, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams.
Familiarity with healthcare analytics tools and software and proficiency with quality data analysis tools and software such as Excel or Tableau.

Nice To Haves

Clinical background, such as RN or PT.
Lean Six Sigma or equivalent quality improvement certification, or certification in Quality and Safety such as CPHQ or CPPS; highly desirable.
Familiarity with regulatory and accreditation processes and a deep understanding of regulations and accreditation requirements.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute project plans for multidisciplinary quality and patient safety projects, including managing timelines, agendas, minutes, documents, presentations, and progress reports.
Coordinate and facilitate patient safety programs, including risk assessments, incident reporting, and root cause analyses.
Develop and implement strategies to reduce medical errors and improve safety outcomes.
Design, implement, and evaluate quality improvement projects using evidence-based methodologies such as Plan-Do-Study-Act, Lean, and Six Sigma.
Monitor clinical outcomes, analyze trends, and recommend changes to improve care delivery.
Ensure adherence to standards set by accrediting bodies such as The Joint Commission and CMS; assist with survey preparation and follow-up and participate in readiness surveys.
Review and facilitate interpretation of regulations and standards to advise leadership and staff.
Collect, analyze, and report quality metrics and safety data; use data visualization tools to present findings and generate reports for leadership and regulatory bodies.
Educate staff on quality and safety initiatives, policies, and best practices, including incident reporting, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance.
Conduct training sessions for healthcare professionals on patient safety practices and promote reporting of near misses.
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to foster a culture of safety and quality; serve as a resource to staff and leadership.
Partner with staff to investigate patient safety events and near-misses, document findings, and implement preventive measures.
Collaborate in managing adverse-event reporting and regulatory compliance processes.
Design and facilitate implementation of policies to prevent medical errors, adverse events, and infections.
Collaborate with clinical and administrative teams to minimize patient risks; manage responses to adverse events, including patient communication and process review.
Lead or participate in performance improvement projects and develop strategies to enhance patient satisfaction and outcomes.
Prepare the organization for external audits and inspections and stay updated on changes in healthcare laws and standards.