Director-System Quality

Company Description

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better healthcare, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. At Northwestern Medicine, we pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, we take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

Job Description

The Director, System Quality reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines, and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.
Responsible for leading organizational quality efforts in support of NM and operating unit strategic goals. Functional areas of responsibility include strategic and operational quality planning, assuring effective and integrated operations of the clinical quality/patient safety division across the operating units, collaborating with local clinical quality directors and other system functions across NM to evaluate and improve performance, and integrating system wide data to analyze performance, trends, and opportunities. Take operating accountability for system-wide data and quality performance integration, system-wide quality committees/strategies/functioning, external rankings, and quality equity program. Prepare accountability reports for Board of Directors and system senior leaders. Leads the development, implementation, monitoring, and achievement of the short and long term NMHC and operating unit Quality Plans. Responsibilities are anticipated to evolve over time to encompass other system wide functions (e.g., data abstraction/submission, Leapfrog Submission)

Responsibilities:

• In collaboration with NM system leaders, develop, implement, manage, and achieve the Long-Range Quality and Patient Safety Plan and other supporting plans.
• Build and manage a flexible, innovative, responsive team in alignment with system priorities with emerging portfolio with dynamic roles. Manage and support the NMHC Quality Committee which oversees and governs quality and patient safety for the health system.
• Implement, direct, support Health System Quality Collaboratives and Committees to advance quality, patient safety and related goals and plans. Collaborate in advancing the work of system functions across NM. Implement surveillance and reporting to identify areas of concern and strength. Monitor internal and external trends to identify priorities.
• Develop reports, materials, and support for Board of Directors Quality Committee and other Boards, related to quality goals, progress, and challenges.
• Assure and support appropriate public transparency and reporting of quality data including the external performance results, brand marketing and strategic planning and response plan.
• Plan, lead and direct improvement initiatives, innovation, and transformation activities. Serve as intake and triage point for system wide or multi-site quality initiatives.
• Design, lead, implement, and monitor NM quality and safety practices, policies, protocols, and methodologies.
• Assure compliance with all relevant policies related to CMS public reporting and payment programs.
• Support quality operations through development and maintenance of appropriate policies, procedures, onboarding, and professional development programming.
• Collaborate effectively across system functions to integrate or build processes, including but not limited to directors and managers of Quality, Clinical Documentation, Performance Improvement, Analytics, Information Services, Health Informatics, Community Health Institute and Office of Health Equity, Population Health/Workforce Health and Safety, Human Resources, Chief Medical Officers, Chief Nursing Executives, Operations Executives. Advance the standard of quality and safe patient care across NM through innovation, learning and shared deployment of best practices.
• Design, manage and optimize the quality equity program including strategic planning, implementation methodology, internal measurement, and external performance. Recruit, train, and manage staff to advance quality equity program.
• Assist in recruitment, orientation, and support local site quality directors.
• When circumstances permit, recruit, oversee and mentor students (undergraduate, graduate students, pre-med, etc.) on relevant projects.
• When circumstances permit, provide education and training to NM staff, clinical leaders and students and trainees in NU McGaw Medical