Risk Manager - 40Hrs/Day Shift

ABOUT US:

With energy and purpose, Cooley Dickinson Health Care, a member of the Mass General Brigham system, is advancing health care in western Massachusetts, and has been since 1886. Our network employs more than 2,000 medical professionals and support staff, at our main Hospital campus in Northampton and additional locations in twelve towns throughout the Pioneer Valley. Cooley Dickinson's VNA & Hospice is also a vital part of our network, providing home-based services throughout Hampshire and Franklin counties.

OUR BENEFITS:

In addition to competitive pay, all Cooley Dickinson employees who work 20 hours or more per week have access to the following benefits with no waiting period:

• A range of health, dental, vision, prescription, and life insurance benefits.
• A generous and flexible Earned Time Off program starting at six weeks accrual per year.
• 403(b) retirement plan with various investment options.
• Opportunities and support for continued education including tuition reimbursement.

SHIFT: 40hrs/Day shift, hybrid schedule (2 days per week working remote) after 90 days of successful training.

MAIN FUNCTION: 

The Risk Manager is responsible for planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating Cooley Dickinson Hospital's Risk Management Program. The Risk Manager analyzes data to identify areas for improvement, leads organizational changes to ensure safe patient care, facilitates compliance with applicable regulatory agencies, is expected to use independent judgment and diplomacy in carrying out the objectives of the program, and utilizes expertise in risk management, quality improvement, liability control, medical/legal, and general legal issues. 

This position reports to the Director, Risk Management, Patient Safety, and Regulatory Compliance and operates within established organizational and departmental policies and procedures.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: 

• Assist with the development and implementation of the organizational culture of safety program including establishing priorities, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and collaborating to establish an organizational culture of patient safety. 
• Plan, develop, and implement the organization-wide program of risk management, emphasizing prevention and loss control while managing organizational claims. 
• Prepare reports regarding the Patient Safety and Risk Management programs to the organization. 
• Coordinate claims handling, insurance coordinator, insurance carriers, and outside legal counsel. 
• Identify loss-producing conditions and practices and evaluate their significance. Prioritize risk control activities. Communicate with administration, medical leadership, affected department(s), insurance carriers, and legal counsel to implement appropriate actions. 
• Provide risk management perspective as appropriate in discussion of such areas as medical records, capital budget review, departmental policy development, and product liability as needs arise. Serve as hospital resource to answer general legal inquiries and/or involve general counsel or trial counsel, as needed. 
• Facilitate the assistance of legal counsel throughout the litigation matters; support counsel with research, interrogatories, and depositions in preparation for trials; assist in settlement negotiations with claims manager. 
• Manage the incident reporting system and other reporting mechanisms. Direct, recommend, and integrate changes to support risk management program goals. Establish methods, policies, and protocols to avoid, reduce and minimize risks. Build a culture of trust to enhance the timeliness of incident reporting. Team with/support hospital staff in service recovery situations. 
• Assist the Director with the review of loss data and interpret statistics to identify trends and gain early awareness of liability exposures. Analyze and investigate actual and potential risks. Serve as liaison between claimant, practitioners, appropriate department(s), administration, and insurance carriers. 
• Ensure the effective collection of pertinent data. Serve as a filter of QA data and refer as appropriate to the Quality Improvement Department. 
• Work in concert with the insurer in terms of providing information necessary for policy renewals and other insurance related issues. 
• Provide direction for ensuring review and incorporation of appropriate provisions of contracts. 
• Work cooperatively with the Quality Improvement department in identification of cases with potential quality of care issues as well as for clinical risk issues. 
• In conjunction with CRICO develop and implement loss prevention educational programs and materials for physicians and all levels of staff and employees, including presentations, videotapes, printed materials, etc. Ensure all mandatory compliance requirements relative to risk management are met. 
• Working with the Director, support development of CRICO-based risk management oversite of non-CDMG operated community practices. 
• Maintain established hospital and departmental policies and procedures, objectives, confidentiality, quality improvement program, compliance, safety, infection control, and environmental standards. 
• Maintain professional growth and development through attendance at seminars, workshops, conferences or in-services, professional affiliations, or journals to stay abreast of current trends in field of expertise. 
• Meet annual competency and retraining requirements. 
• Attend meetings as required. 
• Perform other functions/duties as requested.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: 

• Associate's or higher-level degree required; Bachelor's degree preferred
• Licensure as a healthcare professional and previous clinical experience strongly preferred
• Minimal of three (3) to five (5) years of related experience required; hospital risk management experience preferred
• Risk Management Certification preferred
• Quality Improvement or Patient Safety experience preferred
• Demonstrated highly effective interpersonal and oral and written communication skills required
• Demonstrated knowledge of applicable Massachusetts laws preferred
• Demonstrated proficiency in spreadsheet, database, and word processing applications required
• Demonstrated ability to aggregate, analyze, and display data required
• Demonstrated ability to manage change required