Patient Safety Assistant Coordinator
R&K Enterprise Solutions, Inc. (R&K) is a certified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) with core capabilities in Mission Support, Engineering and Logistics, Cybersecurity and Intelligence, Environmental and Emergency Management, Exercise and Training, and Defense Healthcare in support of our Defense, Intelligence, and Federal Civilian customers.
R&K supports the Defense Health Agency (DHA) Patient Safety Program (PSP). The DHA PSP is dedicated to providing safe, effective, evidence-based healthcare to beneficiaries. It seeks to develop a healthcare organization where proactive risk identification, data-driven assessment, and reliable processes are the foundation for safe care. R&K supports the DHA PSP by providing expertise and assistance in accomplishing the PSP objectives within DHA, AF Major Commands (MAJCOM) and Military Treatment Facilities (MTF).
R&K supports the DHA by providing highly qualified and experienced patient safety professionals at numerous MTFs and by providing training and training materials to foster a workplace-based safety cultural transformation, guided by our experts in patient safety.
Title: Patient Safety Assistant Coordinator (PSAC)
Location: San Diego, CA, Naval Medical Center
Duration: Permanent/ Full-Time
Clearance: Tier 1 (NACI) Investigative Clearance / Background Investigation
Start Date: Upon Approval
Salary: Full salary range is $76,000. to $88,000. per year, with the starting salary determined based on candidate's knowledge, skills, experience, as well as budget availability.
Duties: The PSAC will provide support for the Patient Safety (PS) Program support and data analysis functions at the MTF. This includes supporting, advising, and making recommendations to the MTF on administration, management, and daily operation of the program including adherence to established policies and procedures, as well as identification of risk reduction strategies from analysis of healthcare information. These services are provided as contract support for the Executive Staff and aligned with Chief of Medical Staff (SGH/CMO).
5.6.2 Collaborate closely with the PS Consultants, DHA, and Patient Safety Managers (PSMs). Coordinate with the PSM, QM, RM, and PI personnel. Additionally, to other service MTFs, as necessary. Provide consultation on MTF CSAs, PRAs, medication and non-medication event reporting, and other PS initiatives from a data analysis perspective, verifying the development and use of appropriate performance measures. To carry out these functions, the PSAs shall have access to all necessary and relevant MTF appropriate data. Support, advise, and make recommendations to the MTF and provide support in performing tasks related to administrative, clinical, educational, and research components of PS, including, but not limited to, the following: Patient Safety Alerts, Tier 3 Communications, NPSGs, Sentinel Event Alerts, and community health issues IAW DHA PM 6025.13 Vol 2.
5.6.3 Provide support and collaborate with PS, RM, QM, and PI personnel and other related functions on all aspects of the PS Program, with particular emphasis on performing data analysis.
5.6.4 Provide support, advise, and make recommendations to the MTF PSM to develop, coordinate, and execute PRA plans to identify, reduce, and prevent, wherever possible, risks to DHA patient care. PS activities under this plan include, but are not limited to, preventable medical events and near miss reporting, analysis of near miss and lesser harm events, Comprehensive Systemic Analysis (CSAs) on higher severity events and others as indicated, PRAs, communication, and team training, and reporting to the DHA PS Program.
5.6.5 Provide support to MTFs to identify key performance measures directed at risk identification, reduction, and prevention. Communicate these performance measures to MTF leadership, appropriate committees, functions, and individuals.
5.6.6 Serve as a PS resource for both programmatic and data analysis functions and confer with all levels of personnel to provide support with the development of program plans directed at risk identification, reduction, and prevention to decrease both the frequency and severity of preventable medical events and harm to patients. PSAC personnel shall provide support to MTF patient safety with data collection and analysis of PS-related PI projects.
5.6.7 Event and Near Miss Reporting - Serve as a resource to ensure compliance with DoW mandated analysis and patient reporting systems such as JPSR system and provide consultation on how the MTF uses this data to identify system and process issues that could have or did result in harm. Provide support to MTFs to clarify the classification of each reported event and make recommendations to determine the level of assessment required.
5.6.8 Provide support to the MTF in designing and maintaining a mechanism for MTF patient safety to report near miss and actual events using appropriate data analysis tools such as graphs and charts.
5.6.8 Search existing healthcare information sources and research clinical findings for PS relevant issues. Provide support to develop and execute mechanisms to translate this data to information. Provide this information to leadership, committees, and individuals as appropriate.
5.6.9 Educate MTF on and provide support in identification of patient safety improvement opportunities from data/information sources. From an analytic perspective, provide support and make recommendations to MTF in reaching conclusions and making decisions.
5.6.10 When an CSA is designated by the MTF, provide support with the facilitation of the CSA teams through completion of the CSA process and debriefing to the MTF Commander or designee.
5.6.11 Analyze completed CSAs at the MTFs for opportunities to improve the CSA process, lessons learned, and causal and contributing factors. In collaboration with the PSM, make recommendations to the MTF personnel for facilitation of future CSA teams. Provide support to respective MTF personnel in developing and using tracking system for CSAs.
5.6.12 Provide support to the MTF in PS rounds throughout the MTF as indicated by the HRO concept such as RRC (DHA-A1 6025.36). Communicate directly with MTF patient safety to identify and recommend opportunities that could affect patient care. Encourage PS event reporting throughout the organization.
5.6.13 Participate in preparation for TJC and Unit Effectiveness Inspection (UEI) as defined by their respective MTFs.
5.6.14 Maintain all necessary files/records as deemed appropriate by internal or external policies and/or by the Medical Law Consultant (MLC) that ensures maximum protection from discoverability.
5.6.15 As designated by the SGH/CMO, collect, collate, analyze, and display data from event reviews, CSAs, PRAs, and other sources. Disseminate to appropriate committees and individuals for PS improvement purposes.
5.6.16 As designated by the SGH/CMO, provide support in preparing and presenting briefings on MTF PS Program trending, and reporting on MTF findings from JPSRs as appropriate.
5.6.17 As designated by the SGH/CMO, provide support in developing, coordinating, and presenting ongoing PS education in the form of new employee orientation, one-on-one consultations, in-service, and just-in-time training.
5.6.18 Attend meetings and other designated functions to ensure PS Program coverage.
5.6.19 Maintain pertinent knowledge through review of current PS literature, and attendance at professional PS meetings and educational programs.
5.7.1 Task 1: Utilize facility level JPSR data, event reports, PI project data, and other appropriate data sources to produce analyses useful in the execution of the facility PS Program.
These analyses shall be in the form of written reports, graphs, charts, and other methods useful in translating raw data into actionable information that will allow for the establishment of PS priorities and targets of improvement within the MTF.
5.7.2 Task 2: Work with MTF to verify DHA and DoW directives are met. This specifically includes support in the development of the MTF's monthly and annual reports, FMEAs, PRAs and CSAs.
5.7.3 Task 3: Collaborate with MTF personnel on items/issues related to patient safety, risk identification, risk assessment, and risk control across all areas of the MTF. These areas include, but are not limited to: PI, IC, FM, Safety, Medical Logistics (ML), MEMO, MERC, IM/IT, Education and Training, Pharmacy and Therapeutics, BE, and other services.
5.7.4 Task 4: Work with MTF to verify all PS events are reported according to DHA PM 6025.13 Vol 2 and the associated Implementation Guide. Contractors, in collaboration with PSS/PSM, monitor the reporting process, analyze events, take appropriate action, and consult with DHA quality, risk, and PI managers as appropriate.
5.7.5 Task 5: Collect, collate, analyze, and display data from MTF event reviews, CSAs, PRAs, and other sources to prepare lessons learned to the MTF and DHA PS Program. Disseminate information to appropriate consultants and enlisted and officer SMEs for PS improvement purposes.
5.7.6 Task 6: Serve as expert advisor to MTF personnel on the use of analytical tools, e.g., flowcharting, statistical process control, etc., in PS-related PI activities.
5.7.7 Task 7: Provide support with the development of proactive approaches to enhance and sustain PS by providing best practices to the MTF. Provide support in developing creative approaches to control risk and apply successful safety principles from other agencies.
5.7.8 Task 8: Produce comprehensive analytic reports each year and present results to MTF leadership through appropriate functions. Provide support in transforming data to information for decision-making.
Requirements: The candidate shall meet the following qualifications:
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A bachelor’s degree, preferably in a healthcare-related field, Business Administration (BA), Information Systems (IS), or equivalency in degree programs that include data analysis and statistical analysis.
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A minimum of two (2) years of experience at a healthcare facility.
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Experience in an inpatient or outpatient medical facility is required, military healthcare experience highly desired.
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Proficiency skills in Microsoft Suite of tools including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is required. Understanding of Microsoft Access, Visual Basic, and SQL is preferred.
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The ability to work independently, organize time, and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
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Possess the ability for “attention to detail\" and the ability to effectively communicate PS concepts to leadership and DHA Patient Safety.
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Knowledge of The Joint Commissions (TJCs) accreditation standards, process, PS initiatives, and patient safety goals is preferred.
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Experience with performing CSAs, PRAs, and Performance Improvement (PIs) are highly desirable but able to be acquired after DHA start.
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Effective team and interpersonal skills.
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Must possess ability to work collaboratively with RM and QM; sits on the Executive team and fills in for the PSM as needed. Government PSM will work side by side with the PSAC rather than a supervisory role over the PSAC. The PSM and PSAC align with the SGH/CMO of the organization.
R&K Enterprise Solutions is an equal opportunity employer encouraging individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply.
