CLINICAL QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SPECIALIST

Legal Entity

Aultman Health Foundation

Position Summary

The Clinical Quality Improvement (CQI) Specialist supports hospital-wide performance improvement efforts by ensuring that teams consistently apply evidence-based CQI principles, utilize data appropriately, and sustain measurable improvements in patient outcomes. The Specialist serves as an internal consultant—guiding clinical leaders, care teams, and interdisciplinary groups through structured improvement processes, run chart interpretation, and effective CQI methodology.

Qualifications

• Required
• Bachelor’s degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Public Health, or related field.
• 3 years of experience in clinical quality, patient safety, performance improvement, or similar role.
• Working knowledge of QI methodologies and analytical tools.
• Ability to interpret run charts, understand variation, and communicate data effectively.

• Preferred
• Master’s degree (MPH, MHA, MSN, MBA or related).
• Certifications: CPHQ, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt/Black Belt, CPPS.
• Experience facilitating multidisciplinary hospital improvement teams.
• Familiarity with electronic health records and quality analytics platforms.
  

Skills

• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills
• Ability to coach and educate diverse clinical teams
• Skilled facilitator with excellent communication abilities
• Problem‑solving and root‑cause analysis expertise
• Knowledge of clinical workflows and hospital operations
• Commitment to patient safety, clinical excellence, and continuous improvement
  
  

Responsibilities & Expectations

• Quality Improvement Leadership
• Ensure hospital departments consistently adhere to established Quality Improvement (QI) principles, standards, and methodologies (e.g., PDSA, Lean, Six Sigma).
• Guide teams in defining problems, developing aims, mapping current workflows, and designing reliable future-state processes.
• Facilitate project charters, improvement team meetings, and barrier‑removal discussions.

• Data Interpretation & Run Chart Expertise
• Develop, maintain, and interpret run charts, control charts, and other QI data displays to help teams monitor performance and identify trends, shifts, or variations.
• Translate quantitative data into actionable insights to support informed decision-making.
• Assist leaders and frontline staff in understanding variation and applying rules for run chart analysis in daily management and improvement work.

• Education, Coaching & Methodology Support
• Provide hands‑on coaching and educate hospital teams on QI methods, including but not limited to PDSA testing, root cause analysis, workflow redesign, and reliability science.
• Support training sessions for new leaders, frontline staff, and physicians on core QI competencies.
• Serve as a subject‑matter expert in QI tools such as fishbone diagrams, 5 Whys, Pareto charts, standard work creation, and process mapping.
• Mentor departments on how to structure improvement projects, develop measures, and sustain gains.

• Project Facilitation & Performance Monitoring
• Lead and support system‑ and unit-level improvement initiatives focused on patient safety, clinical outcomes, operational efficiency, and regulatory measures.
• Ensure alignment of improvement work with organizational priorities, accreditation standards, and strategic goals.
• Track progress of assigned projects, assist with barrier identification, and guide corrective actions.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
• Collaborate with clinical leaders, physicians, nursing staff, and ancillary teams to promote a culture of continuous improvement.
• Communicate project outcomes, data insights, and improvement recommendations to leaders and committees in a clear, actionable format.
• Participate in and support hospital governance structures (Quality Council, Safety Committees, etc.).

Sustainment & Standardization

• Develop and maintain QI documentation, tools, templates, and training materials.
• Support teams in hardwiring successful interventions through standard operating procedures, monitoring plans, and performance dashboards.
• Additional responsibilities as assigned
  
  

Working Conditions

• 8:00am – 5:00pm M-F or hours as required by the job. Occasional weekends and off -shifts.
• Subject to frequent interruptions and changes in priority of duties throughout the day.
• Occasional local/regional travel to/from physician offices.
  
  

Hazardous Exposure Category

Category III - Includes tasks that involve no exposure to blood, body fluids, or tissues and Category I tasks are not a condition of employment. The normal work routine involves no exposure to blood; body fluids or tissues (although situations can be imagined or hypothesized under which anyone anywhere might encounter potential exposure to body fluids.) Persons who perform these duties are not called upon as part of their employment to perform or assist in emergency care or first aid or to be potentially exposed in some other way.

Physical Addendum

Demands

Frequency

Remarks

Lifting 0-10 lbs

Occasional 10-33%

Lifting 10-20 lbs

Occasional 10-33%

Lifting 20-35 lbs

Never

Lifting 35-50 lbs

Never

Lifting 50-75 lbs

Never

Lifting 75-100 lbs

Never

Lifting over 100 lbs

Never

Forward Reaching

Occasional 10-33%

Overhead Reaching

Never

Standing

Occasional 10-33%

Walking

Occasional 10-33%

Sitting

Continuous 66% of the day

Climbing

Never

Stairs/Ladder

Occasional 10-33%

Bending/Stooping

Occasional 10-33%

Twisting/Turning

Occasional 10-33%

Kneeling/Squatting

Never

Crawling

Never

Pushing/Pulling 0-10 lbs

Occasional 10-33%

Pushing/Pulling 10-20 lbs

Never

Pushing/Pulling 20-35 lbs

Never

Pushing/Pulling 35-50 lbs

Never

Pushing/Pulling 50-100 lbs

Never

Pushing/Pulling over 100 lbs

Never

Carrying 0-10 lbs

Occasional 10-33%

Carrying 10-20 lbs

Occasional 10-33%

Carrying 20-35 lbs

Never

Carrying 35-50 lbs

Never

Carrying 50-100 lbs

Never

Carrying over 100 lbs

Never

Grasping/repetitive sustained

Never

Fine motor coordination

Occasional 10-33%

Vision: Near/Far/Color

Continuous 66% of the day

Hearing: ordinary conversation/other

Frequent 34-65%

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status. AultCare is an EEO/AA Employer M/F/Disability/Vet.

AultCare/AHS will provide reasonable accommodations to employees or applicants with disabilities, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, who are otherwise qualified to safely perform the essential functions of the job, with or without accommodation, unless such accommodation would constitute an undue hardship on AultCare/AHS or poses a direct threat to the health and safety of the individual or others that cannot be sufficiently mitigated by reasonable accommodation. Any applicant or employee who requires an accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job or to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment should notify the Aultman Human Resource Department and request such an accommodation.