Patient Safety & Quality Consultant- Patient Safety Program- Hybrid

This is a hybrid work opportunity that requires 3 days in-office and 2 days remote. Given the weekly in-office requirements, candidates must be local to the Richmond, VA area.

The Patient Safety & Quality Consultant is a thought partner with VCUHS executive, physician, nursing and ancillary leaders in strategic planning and implementation of data-driven initiatives to achieve clinical excellence at the system, clinical service and care site level. The role may serve as a coach, facilitator, or advisor as appropriate for the needs of the organization. The Safety & Quality Consultant II serves as a subject matter expert in established performance improvement techniques and strategies. The role is responsible for accelerating the successful management of change to ensure improvements are spread and a sustainability plan is implemented. The Patient Safety & Quality Consultant manages improvement projects and multi-disciplinary teams through all phases, from inception to implementation and spread. The role provides formal and just-in-time education on safety & quality improvement methodologies to increase organizational improvement capability.

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