DHA Contract Patient Safety Specialist

As a Synensys employed contractor to the government, the Patient Safety Specialist (PSS) directs the establishment and operations of the Military Health System Patient Safety Program (MHS PSP) and works closely with Military Treatment Facility (MTF) leadership to promote a culture of safety throughout the MTF.

Under the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Patient Safety Program, contractor personnel in this position shall perform project management, program integration, administrative, clinical, educational, and research components duties as they relate to executing a comprehensive PSP for the DHA. This role will assist and advise the Government with the establishment and operation of the DHA PSP at the MTF level. Additionally, the PSS serves as a member of Executive Staff and aligns with the Chief of the Medical Staff (SGH) and works closely with MTF leadership to promote a data-driven culture of safety throughout the MTF. The PSS identifies, recommends, and aids in the implementation of PI leading to the formulation of processes that facilitate safer care.

In addition, the PSS makes recommendations for organizational changes leading to safer patient care. It is necessary for this role to stay abreast of national patient safety initiatives and their impact on the DHA PSP. This role administers day-to-day PSP operations in relation to aspects of inpatient, ambulatory care, and support functions. At the MTF level, the PSS will collaborate closely with the Chief of the Medical Staff (SGH), Quality Management (QM), Risk Management, (RM), Process Improvement (PI), and Trusted Care initiatives. Contractor personnel shall also be responsible for coordination of Comprehensive Systemic Analyses (CSAs), Proactive Risk Assessments (PRA), and other PS initiatives brought about by the event reporting and proactive risk assessment functions of the PSP.

Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

Proactive Risk Assessments: Contractor personnel, in conjunction with Quality personnel and MTF leadership, will assess all aspects of the MTF care processes for risks of patient harm. Proactive Risk Assessment is the foundation for safe and effective healthcare.

Event and Near Miss Reporting: PSS must comply with DoD-mandated analysis and patient reporting systems. Contractor personnel shall assist MTFs in identifying the classification of each reported event; then advise on the level of assessment and investigation that is required. Additionally, the Contractor shall assist MTF personnel in education of the handler reviewer rules of the Joint Patient Safety Reporting System.

Competency Assessment: Contractor personnel shall work closely with credentials management and other departments to verify adherence to AFI 44-119, Medical Quality Operations, and Sections 2.13.3, 2.14, and 2.15 to contribute PS-related findings that assist in the assessment of the competency of AFMS personnel.

Education and Training Activities: Contractor personnel, in conjunction with Quality Care personnel, shall establish a mechanism to orient and educate staff on key patient safety principles and on elements of a reliable safety culture. Topics will include fundamentals of risk identification, assessment, and control. Training shall include, but are not limited to:

• Elements of a PS culture, its relevance to their position, and their personal role in ensuring PS as a high priority.
• National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG), tools used in their implementation and plans for monitoring ongoing compliance.
• Basic concepts of PS, including proactive risk identification, risk assessment, how to report risks and events in JPSR, and risk control.
• Basic process improvement tools and techniques used for quality and patient safety improvement, their application in day-to-day operations, and their use in monitoring outcomes.
Principles of high reliability healthcare and techniques, as defined in the Final Report to the Secretary of Defense MHS Review, August 2014, p. 13, used by industry leading organizations to promote the reliable provision of care.

Fostering Effective Teamwork: Contractor personnel shall assist with facility-wide implementation of healthcare team training using techniques such as Train-the-Trainer, Train-the-Staff On-site, and Awareness training, as noted below:

• Contractor personnel shall assist with providing initial and refresher team training to all MTF healthcare staff, to include topics developed by DHA. It is desirable that the Contractor have the team training upon hire, however, if the Contractor personnel does not have team training upon hire, Government will provide TeamSTEPPS training.
Coaching Safety Behaviors – Recognizing the value of safety coaching in the sustainment of team training and other safety-related behaviors, Contractor personnel will use established coaching methodologies to assist staff in enculturating safety behaviors and principles into their daily workflows. MTF PSSs shall advise leadership on safety coaching principles and work to incorporate them into leadership rounds.

Comprehensive Systematic Analysis (CSA): Contractor personnel shall conduct an appropriate event analysis (typically an RCA or similar methodology) on patient safety events to identify causal factors and recommend action items to correct or improve processes and systems to eliminate or decrease the risk of the event reoccurring.

Safety Coach Champion: Serve as the Safety Coach Champion with responsibility for performing duties as the Safety Coach Champion under Trusted Care. The contractor will not function as the Trust Care Coordinator.

• Assist with planning, developing, implementing, and coordinating a facility-based PSP that supports and advances AFMS Strategic Healthcare safety and reliability objectives, in compliance with AFI 44-119 PS Chapter, DoDM 6025.13/DHA-PM.
• Serve as the DHA PS Subject Matter Expert (SME) resource in the facility and provide advice to all levels of AF personnel to ensure proper implementation of the program.
• Conduct an annual appraisal of organization-wide PS activities, training status, policies, and procedures, at each MTF.
• Collaborate on items/issues related to event prevention, risk identification, risk assessment, and risk control with facility functions. These functions include, but are not limited to: Executive Committee of the Medical Staff (ECOMS), Nurse Executive Function (NEF), Nurse Executive Function (NEF), RM, QM, PI, Infection Prevention (IP), Facilities Management (FM), Safety, Medical Logistics, Medical Equipment Management Office (MEMO), Medical Equipment Repair Center (MERC), Information Management/Information Technology (IM/IT), Education and Training (E/T), Pharmacy and Therapeutics, and Bioenvironmental Engineering (BE).
• Report MTF patient safety events according to AFI 44-119 and DoDM 6025.13 manual/DHA-PM. Contractor personnel shall analyze the reporting process and events, recommend appropriate actions, and consult with quality, risk, credentials and PI managers as appropriate.
• Collect, collate, analyze, and provide data from facility event reviews, CSAs, PRAs, and other sources via a variety of communication forums. Make recommendations and disseminate information to appropriate facility committees and individuals for PS improvement purposes.
• Collaborate with the facility RM on event analysis. Review Potentially Compensable Event (PCE) cases for potential PS concerns. Collaborate and advise regarding any written items that may contain PS information requiring protection under Title 10 USC Chapter 55, Section 1102- Confidentiality of Medical Quality Assurance Records: Qualified Immunity for Participants.
• Assist the facility with process improvement activities in support of the organizational safety and quality goals as it relates to patient safety. Collaborate with the facility PI manager on the use of analytical tools (e.g., flowcharting and statistical process control) in PS activities. In small facilities, Contractor personnel shall assist the facility PI manager in support of organizational safety and quality goals.
• Assist with the development, planning, and coordination of a comprehensive PS education program in support of DHA Patient Safety Goals. Educate all levels of MTF staff on the PSP, their role in creating safer, more reliable care, and processes for risk identification, assessment, and control.
• Prepare an FMEA/PRA every 18 months and assist MTF staff in the performance of PI projects as it relates to patient safety.
• MTF PSS) will assist Government personnel with implementing and monitoring The Joint Commission (TJC) NPSGs within their facilities, annually.
• Provides Monthly Executive Report to MTF Commander.

Synensys offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short and long-term disability plans, paid time off, 10 paid company holidays and a 401(k) with company match.

Synensys is a veteran-owned small business providing consulting, learning, and analytical services to healthcare organizations to improve patient safety, team performance, and other key organizational performance outcomes. Our team is multi-disciplinary, representing extensive experience in medicine, nursing, management, instructional design, customer service, engineering, and information technology.

We have partnered with over 500 healthcare organizations in 14 countries including government, military health, public and private hospitals, clinics, and office-based practices.