Clinical Performance Improvement Manager - QPI

Kern Medical has been a community cornerstone since its founding in 1867. Today, we are an acute care teaching center with 222 beds, offering the only advanced trauma care between Fresno and Los Angeles.Kern Medical offers a range of primary, specialty, and multi-specialty services including high-risk pregnancy care, inpatient psychiatric services integrated with county mental health programs, and a growing network of outpatient clinics providing personalized patient-centered wellness care. Kern Medical cares for 15,500 inpatients and 125,000 clinic patients a year.
Position: Clinical Performance Improvement Manager - QPI - Mid-Management
Definition:
Under the direction from Director of Performance Improvement, the Clinical Performance Improvement Manager is responsible for the supervision and facilitation of Performance Improvement staff and designated Performance Improvement activities/initiatives within the acute care setting, outpatient services, or a special department as assigned.
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Incumbents in this classification are distinguished by assignment to the supervision and direction of staff assigned to an outpatient service, inpatient units, or special unit of an assigned area of responsibility. Strong time management, interpersonal communication and leadership skills are essential. All nursing practice shall be evaluated and governed through the Chief Nursing Office and/or their Registered Nurse designee.
Essential Functions:

• Coordinates and supervises Performance Improvement staff on a day-to-day basis to meet organizational objectives; ensuring staff compliance with regulatory standards, governmental regulations and hospital standards.
• Assists with maintaining fiscal control of assigned hospital cost center(s).
• Participates in the selection of staff and initiates/participates in personnel actions in accordance with the department's human resources practices and procedures and organizational philosophy.
• Plans, coordinates, directs and provides departmental orientation and on-going staff education in collaboration with Director, staff development and existing staff.
• Provides expertise in the interpretation, development, implementation and maintenance of Performance Improvement initiatives aimed at systems improvement.
• Consults with multidisciplinary departments to identify weaknesses and performance gaps that may benefit from Performance Improvement.
• Collaborates with Director and executive leadership to prioritize improvement initiatives based on organizational strategic priorities.
• Facilitates or participates as a consultant, in Performance Improvement committees and/or workgroups, aimed at the development of solutions to improve performance and quality of care.
• Establishes and/or revises policies and procedures to reflect process change and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Designs workflows, disseminates data and communicates shared learning.
• In collaboration with the Data Analysis, Reporting and Integrity department, performs data analysis to determine benchmarks, drive actions and define expected outcomes.
• Participates in the development of meaningful measurement plans and/or dashboards to trend process and outcome measures.
• Supervises and monitors clinical quality studies; to include, but not limited to observations and systems tracers.
• Collaborates to ensure sustainability of improvement initiatives, to include recommending strategies to improve compliance with improvement initiatives.
• Develops and presents reports for Director and executive leadership.
• Educates staff regarding Performance Improvement methodology.
• Remains abreast of healthcare standards and evidence-based practice to ensure regulatory compliance and optimize performance.

Other Functions:

• Performs other related job duties and special projects as required.

Employment Standards:

• Must possess and maintain a current and valid, unrestricted license to practice as a Registered Nurse in California. Must possess and maintain a current Basic Life Support (BLS) Card issued by the American Heart Association, AND;

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Nursing, AND four (4) years of full-time hospital nursing experience, including two (2) years project management, supervisory or managerial experience in an acute care setting.

OR

• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a degree in nursing AND five (5) years of full-time hospital nursing experience, including two (2) years of Case Management or Quality experience in a health care setting and one (1) year of project management, supervisory and/or managerial experience in an acute care setting.

A specialty certification is highly desirable, particularly that of Health Care Quality and Management (CHCQM) or Certified Professional in Health Care Quality (CPHQ). LEAN or Six Sigma Greenbelt is highly desirable.
Knowledge of:

• Principles of nursing administration and personnel management;
• Modern principles, methods and practices of nursing;
• Research related to patient safety, patient satisfaction, evidence based practice, principles and techniques of effective supervision and staff utilization;
• Development, application and uses of nursing records, reports and statistics;
• Principles of education, in-service training and competency development for professional and allied nursing personnel;
• Modern hospital organization, budget preparation and interpretation, budget variance analysis, medical terminology, Performance Improvement methodology and tools such as PDSA, Lean, Statistical Process Control Analysis, Microsoft Office: (Excel, Power Point, Windows), MIDAS, State and Federal Regulatory Standards

Ability to:

• Work autonomously, simultaneously coordinate multiple activities, problem solve, provide leadership, provide conflict management, team build, establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, other individuals and groups, other departments and agencies; prepare clear, concise and comprehensive written reports;
• Communicate both orally and in writing; participate in public speaking events.

SUPPLEMENTAL:

• Employees must maintain all health requirements designated by Kern Medical;
• Depending on assignment incumbents may be required to possess and maintain specific certificates of competency as a condition of employment;
• A background check may be required for this classification.

All Kern Medical employees are designated "Disaster Service Workers". In the event of a disaster or civil disorder, all Kern Medical employees are to remain at work or to report to work in a safe and practicable manner.