What are the responsibilities and job description for the Patient Safety and Quality Consultant position at Virginia Commonwealth University Health Systems?
Essential Job Statements
Lead the integration of safety & quality into the fabric of the organization to achieve care targets. Advance the organization through collaboration, learning and communication.
Implement processes for engagement and teamwork
Create learning opportunities to advance the organization
Communicate effectively in multiple venues via multiple routes
Ensure appropriate use of data to drive change and improvement
Use proven methods to facilitate improvement initiatives
Utilize performance and process improvement tools
Implement change management methodology
Employ project management tactics
Leverage data analytics to help guide decision-making and inform improvement initiatives
Design and implement data structure and plans to support initiatives
Integrate data from multiple sources into initiatives
Use statistical and data visualization methods
Cultivate a safe healthcare environment by promoting safe practices, nurturing a just culture and improving processes that detect, mitigate, or prevent harm
Facilitate root cause analyses and FMEAs
Apply high-reliability principles to improvement initiatives
Ensure focus remains on process-driven solutions rather than people-driven ones
Promote psychological safety through transparency of data and information.
Evaluate and improve healthcare processes and care transitions to advance the safe, equitable, efficient, effective, and timely care of our diverse patient population.
Integrate population health management strategies into initiatives
Apply a holistic approach to improvement
Collaborate to improve care processes and transitions
Maintain & update knowledge base
Update professional knowledge applicable to the role by participating in education opportunities such as reading professional publications and networking locally and regionally.
Complete required continuing education to maintain certification (as applicable).
Ensure responsibility and visible commitment of diversity equity and inclusion strategy, programs, and initiatives through collaboration and implementation of initiatives across the health system.
Performs other duties as assigned and/or participating in special projects in order to support the mission of VCUHS and the HR Business Advisory team. Accepting alternate responsibilities as required.
Patient Population
Not applicable to this position.
Employment Qualifications
Required Education:
Bachelor's Degree in Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Business Administration, or related clinical or academic field
Preferred Education:
Master's Degree in healthcare field (e.g. MSHA, MPH, MSN, MHA), Quality Engineering, Business Administration or related field
Supplemental course work in quality improvement, such as quality methodologies/tools, data analysis, patient safety, Lean, Six Sigma, quality engineering, and/or project management
Course work in statistics
Fellowship in Patient Safety
Licensure/Certification Required:
Current license in the Commonwealth of Virginia (e.g. Registered Nurse, Pharmacist, Nurse Practitioner, Registered Dietitian or similar) if candidate holds a professional license
Licensure/Certification Preferred:
Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) preferred
Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) preferred
Certified Project Manager (PMP) preferred
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt preferred
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or equivalent within 1 year to maintain position
Minimum Qualifications
Years and Type of Required Experience
Minimum of three (3) years of work experience in the healthcare environment which may include hospital or clinic setting with specific experience in the following areas:
clinical processes
safety & quality improvement processes and tools
facilitating and/or leading interdisciplinary groups
leadership (formal or informal) in a healthcare organization
collecting, organizing, and analyzing data
developing and making presentations
Previous experience using a personal computer and software application to include the Internet, e-mail, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, etc.), MS Project, Visio
Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:
Cultural Responsiveness
Demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias.
Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:
Previous experience with organization-wide performance improvement and/or coordinating projects in an academic medical center with a wide variety of services, including ambulatory care, home care, emergency care, critical care, and inpatient care.
Previous experience applying and explaining statistical process control tools; conducting group facilitation/presentation; and designing data collection tools
Previous experience using mapping/flowcharting software and working with databases (e.g., Visio, Access)
Combination of education and experience in lieu of a degree.
Working Conditions
Periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads may occur.
General office environment.
May have periods of constant interruptions.
Prolonged periods of working alone.
Other: May be required to car travel to off-site locations occasionally
Physical Requirements
Physical Demands
Lifting/ Carrying (0-50 lbs.)- up to 33% of the time
Push/ Pull (0-50 lbs.)- up to 33% of the time
Work Position
Sitting, Walking, Standing
Additional Physical Requirements
Manual dexterity (eye/hand coordination)
Repetitive arm/hand movements
Finger Dexterity
Hazards
N/A
Mental / Sensory
Strong Recall, Reasoning, Problem Solving, Hearing, Speak Clearly, Write Legibly, Reading, Logical Thinking
Emotional
Fast-paced environment, Steady Pace, Able to Handle Multiple Priorities, Able to Adapt to Frequent Change
The Patient Safety & Quality Consultant is responsible for advancing a culture of patient safety across the health system by leading initiatives that reduce harm, improve reliability, and strengthen safety processes. The role partners with executive, physician, nursing, and operational leaders to identify safety risks, analyze adverse events, implement evidence-based improvements, and drive sustainable change that improves patient outcomes.
Primary Patient Safety Responsibilities
- Lead and facilitate patient safety improvement initiatives designed to prevent patient harm and improve clinical outcomes.
- Facilitate Root Cause Analyses (RCAs) to identify system vulnerabilities and develop corrective actions.
- Apply high reliability organization principles to strengthen safety culture, reduce variation, and improve process consistency.
- Promote a Just Culture approach by focusing on system and process improvements rather than individual blame.
- Foster psychological safety through transparent communication of safety and performance information.
- Identify safety trends, measure the effectiveness of interventions, and prioritize opportunities for risk reduction and harm prevention.
- Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to redesign processes that detect, mitigate, and prevent patient harm.
- Improve care transitions and healthcare processes to ensure safe, effective, equitable, efficient, and timely care delivery.
Key Areas of Expertise
- Patient Safety and Harm Prevention
- Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
- High Reliability Principles
- Just Culture
- Change Management
- Team Facilitation and Stakeholder Engagement
- Healthcare Process Redesign and Risk Reduction
The Patient Safety & Quality Consultant leads organization-wide patient safety efforts by investigating safety events, facilitating root cause analyses, applying high reliability and just culture principles, identifying and mitigating system risks, and partnering with clinical and operational leaders to implement sustainable improvements that prevent patient harm and improve patient outcomes.
Compensation Range
$75,524.80 - $117,083.20Actual salary offers will be based on several key factors to include relevant work experience, credentials, and qualifications.
EEO Employer/Disabled/Protected Veteran
VCU Health System Authority (VCU Health) complies with applicable civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, political affiliation, disabilities, marital status, veteran status, residence, financial status, or any other manner prohibited by law.
Salary : $75,525 - $117,083