Director of Patient Safety and Quality - Visalia - Kaweah Health

Description

Overview

We are excited to present an opportunity for a Director of Patient Safety and Quality at Kaweah Health, a publicly owned, community healthcare organization in Visalia, California. With over 5,000 employees and an eight-campus healthcare district encompassing 613 beds, Kaweah Health delivers comprehensive health services across a broad continuum of care. Our culture is deeply rooted in responsibility and accountability, emphasizing ownership from our team members. We serve a region with significant needs, making the rewards of contributing to our mission even greater.

Company Overview

Kaweah Health is dedicated to providing state-of-the-art medicine and high-quality preventive services, focusing on making a tangible difference in the health of our patients, loved ones, and community. Dr. Stefanacci, your direct report, fosters a supportive environment with minimal interference.

Position Overview

The Director of Quality orchestrates and influences the work of others to enhance Kaweah Health's mission, vision, and strategic priorities. This high-level leadership role holds accountability for safety and the necessary infrastructures to meet patient and family expectations. You will be instrumental in setting and executing strategies related to quality, patient safety, and regulatory compliance for a billion-dollar health system, impacting a large patient population in the Central Valley.

Primary Responsibilities

• Oversee quality, patient safety, and regulatory compliance in collaboration with the Chief Medical Officer/Chief Quality Officer to set priorities and execute plans.
• Support performance improvement activities across the organization with project management, performance improvement, and data analytics assistance.
• Present to the CEO, executive team, and the board, and oversee the quality of care for the patient population.
• Design and implement Quality and Patient Safety Plans; identify and apply methods and tools for quality and patient safety; participate in case review committees addressing sentinel events and significant near misses.
• Provide resources for measurement and evaluation; collaborate with medical staff leaders on quality and patient safety systems; develop a skilled department staff.
• Coordinate Joint Commission accreditation surveys and preparations; identify and implement strategies for safety culture improvement; provide professional development opportunities.

Key Qualifications and Skills

• Approximately 10 years of experience in quality-related roles within a hospital or health system; at least 5 years in a leadership role overseeing a department or quality team.
• Expertise in performance improvement and experience managing people and a department; a proven track record of responsibility for strategic initiatives with measurable outcomes.
• Strong collaboration skills to engage teams and physicians; a passion for quality and patient safety with resilience to meet role challenges.
• Required certifications include a current license in a relevant clinical discipline and a Certified Professional in Health Care Quality (CPHQ).
• Formal training in project management or performance improvement (e.g., Black Belt or Six Sigma) is required.
• Bachelor's degree in Health Care Administration, Nursing, or a relevant clinical discipline with additional training in Quality and Patient Safety; Master's degree preferred.

Team and Reporting Structure

This role reports directly to Dr. Stefanacci, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer. The Director of Quality will lead a diverse team including a quality team (manager + 5), an accreditation team (manager + 2), two data analytics specialists, two project management and performance improvement specialists, a patient safety program manager, and individuals overseeing stroke, sepsis, and clinical practice guidelines programs.

Collaboration is essential with the CEO, executive team, board members, and various internal teams, including Infection Prevention, Quality, Accreditation, Data Analytics, Project Management, Patient Safety, Stroke, Sepsis, and Clinical Practice Guidelines, as well as with physicians.

Key Priorities in the First Six Months

The top priorities include demonstrating a measurable impact on strategic priorities by articulating them, establishing benchmarks, and achieving measurable outcomes. The role also involves supporting performance improvement activities across the organization with project management, performance improvement, and data analytics support.

Challenges and Opportunities

The role offers a leadership position with significant responsibility for setting quality and patient safety strategy for a billion-dollar health system, with direct contact with the executive team and board. You will have the opportunity to impact healthcare for a large patient population in the Central Valley. Challenges include engaging teams outside of quality to collaborate on performance improvement and securing active physician participation.

Candidate Profile

We seek individuals with a passion for quality and patient safety and strong resilience to navigate barriers. Experience at a director level in a hospital or health system quality program, expertise in performance improvement, and experience managing a department or quality team are highly advantageous. A clinical background is helpful. Candidates should demonstrate ownership and responsibility for programs with measurable outcomes beyond high ratings, and have experience and responsibility for regulatory and accreditation.

Candidates who thrive in community-based organizations with limited support are encouraged to apply. We are actively seeking to fill this position and invite you to apply if you meet these qualifications and are passionate about making a significant impact on healthcare quality and patient safety.

Mike Duggan is running the search; for more information, he can be reached at or