Patient Safety Engineer

The Quality Improvement Program at University of Iowa Health Care has an opening for a full-time Patient Safety Engineer.  The Patient Safety Engineer is responsible for assessing, planning, implementing, and/or evaluating patient safety principles and practices throughout the University of Iowa Health Care.  The Patient Safety Engineer is responsible for providing a planned, systematic approach to identifying, designing, measuring and monitoring patient safety in a complex organization.  They gather data detailing patient-related errors and conduct analysis for the organization.  They must develop strong, professional relationships with all members of the interdisciplinary care team and collaborate with leadership and staff to facilitate the successful integration of patient safety principles into current and future practice. 

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following: 

• Excellent written, verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Self-directed with excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Ability to make quality, independent decisions.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Analytical and strong problem solving skills.
• Ability to effectively analyze and synthesize information, communicating salient points to key stakeholders.
• Ability to work effectively and efficiently under tight deadlines, high volumes and multiple interruptions.
• Ability to maintain the strictest levels of confidentiality.
• Ability to listen to others.
• High-grade diplomatic skills to effectively negotiate for harmony.
• Flexible and adaptable to change.
• Competency in the use of a variety of computer hardware and software systems.
• Commitment to creating and contributing to a positive team culture
• Works collaboratively with the CQO and Director in the Quality Improvement Program to operationalize the vision and the work of the program for the hospital.
• Respect for the administrative hierarchy

Characteristic Knowledge/Skills, Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Knowledge of the Science of Patient Safety, high reliability, and Just Culture.
• Knowledge of change theories.
• Clinical knowledge of the patient population of responsibility based upon practical and theoretical knowledge.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements related to University of Iowa Health Care.
• Knowledge of patient safety and quality improvement tools used to review, analyze and improve patient safety.
• Demonstrates critical thinking skills.
• Proficiency in Epic.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Demonstrates adaptability and flexibility.
• Ability to weigh and manage priorities.
• Skilled at multi-tasking.
• Detail oriented.
• Skilled at synthesis and analysis.
• Ability to communicate with all levels of the organization.
• Customer service oriented.
• Creates well developed written and oral communications
• Understands and demonstrates behaviors that contribute to a positive team culture in assigned sections of QuIP and the larger program.
• Manage the incident reporting system.  Review all safety events that attribute to clinical areas of responsibility and other areas as needed/appropriate.  Ensure events are categorized correctly and have the correct level of harm assigned.  Ensure reviewers provide appropriate incident report follow up documentation in the system prior to closing out an event.  Complete concurrent event review, defined as closing out non-high harm events within 1 month of submission.
• Manage high harm event reviews that attribute to clinical areas of responsibility and other clinical areas as needed/appropriate.  Secure staff members perception of high harm events utilizing the standardized Qualtrics survey questions.  Present high harm events, incorporating Qualtrics survey responses, at the Patient Safety Steering Committee (PSSC) on a weekly basis to discern next steps from committee members.  Provide input, guidance and direction, as appropriate, in the management of safety events.  
• Facilitate Comprehensive Systematic Analyses (CSAs) as directed by the PSSC and/or CQO, following QuIP Patient Safety Engineer Event Management Guidelines and The Joint Commission Sentinel Event policy.
• Attend Quality and Safety Oversight Subcommittee (QSOS) meetings to represent and answer questions related to CSA Action Plans.
• Develop and update educational incident reporting and safety content for all staff members at UI Health Care.
• Provide incident reporting education/training as needed to all staff members in the organization.
• Participates in/leads pillar patient safety committees, Sentinel Event/Serious Safety Event meetings, teams, work groups, and huddles. Serves as a patient safety consultant to various other committees to ensure integration of patient safety work across the continuum of care.
• Prepares accurate tracking and trending of patient safety incidents and related activities.
• Facilitates use of data to identify opportunities to improve safety, prevent events with the potential to negatively impact patient care, promote a culture of patient safety and improve hospital processes.
• Develops reports to effectively communicate findings. Presentation of information is clear, concise, and tailored to the level of the user.
• Provide a regular cadence of safety event reporting to appropriate governance structures, clinical departments, and/or other designated groups as appropriate throughout the organization on an ongoing basis.
• Conduct cause analysis on safety events and work with departments to mitigate the immediate risks to patients as a result of human or systems errors.
• Collaborate with Risk Management to ensure continuity and closed loop communication in how we are addressing and ensuring accountability to thorough review processes with high harm events.  Ensure disclosure practices are followed and documentation practices in the EHR are adhered to.
• Facilitate compliance with The Joint Commission (TJC), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and state quality and patient safety requirements by coordinating, organizing and communicating appropriate information to designated committees, teams, work groups and leadership in a timely fashion. Leads initiatives for high priority safety opportunities as identified by leadership.
• Adheres to organizational and department specific safety and confidentiality policies and standards.
• Participates in and supports Patient Safety Awareness Week (PSAW) and the Quality and Safety Symposium.
• Manage/support the Good | Great Catch award program. 
• Seek opportunities to enhance own professional knowledge, skills, and abilities as they relate to one’s current position and/or to prepare for potential future roles and overall career development, e.g., speaking/poster presentations at local or national conferences, publications in journals/books, or certification in quality or performance improvement.
• Conduct Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) as needed/appropriate.
• Completes quality and safety reviews for insurance companies.
• Demonstrate commitment to patient safety and protecting patients and providers by advocating safe practices and policies/procedures.
• Develops effective and supportive relationships with all members of the QuIP team and multidisciplinary teams in the hospital.
• Demonstrates behaviors that promotes a positive team culture influencing our ability to impact patient safety throughout the organization.
• Serves as a role model to foster a patient safety culture in the organization.
• Acts as a  champion for Just Culture.
• Participates in the hiring of professional and support staff as appropriate.
• Participates in annual Critical Access Hospital (CAH) reviews.  Provides educational support to CAHs as needed/requested.
• Assumes special assignments as delegated by the Chief Quality Officer and the Director of the Quality Improvement Program.

Percent of time: 100%, full-time 

Work schedule: Some flexibility between the hours of 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. 

Location: This position is located at the University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center in Iowa City, IA. This position is eligible to participate in partial remote work after the initial training and onboarding has been completed. Remote work must be performed at a location within the state of Iowa and will require a work arrangement form to be completed upon the start of your employment. Per policy, work arrangements will be reviewed annually, and must comply with the remote work program and related policies and the employee travel policy when working at a remote location 

Pay level: 5A. Starting salary will be based on applicant qualifications and relevant experience.  To view the full salary range for 5A: Professional and Scientific Pay Structures | University Human Resources - The University of Iowa 

Benefits Highlights:  Fringe benefit package including paid vacation; sick leave; health, dental, life and disability insurance options; and generous employer contributions into retirement plans. Complete information regarding the full benefits package may be viewed at: https://hr.uiowa.edu/benefits