Community Quality & Patient Safety Specialist

City of Hope

Duarte, CA

ID: 7134997 (Ref.No. 10019919)
Posted: March 20, 2023
Salary / Pay Rate: $48.30 - $77.28 / hour
Application Deadline: Open Until Filled

Job Description

About City of Hope

City of Hope's mission is to deliver the cures of tomorrow to the people who need them today. Founded in 1913,City of Hopehas grown into one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. and one of the leading research centers for diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope research has been the basis fornumerous breakthrough cancer medicines, as well as human synthetic insulin and monoclonal antibodies. With an independent, National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center at its core, City of Hope brings a uniquely integrated model to patients spanning cancer care, research and development, academics and training, and innovation initiatives. City of Hope’s growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, andtreatment facilities in Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix. City of Hope’s affiliated group of organizations includesTranslational Genomics Research InstituteandAccessHopeTM. For more information about City of Hope, follow us onFacebook,Twitter,YouTube,InstagramandLinkedIn.

City of Hope’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We believe diversity, equity and inclusion is key in serving our mission to provide compassionate patient care, drive innovative discovery, and advance vital education focused on eliminating cancer and diabetes in all of our communities. Our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion ensures we bring the full range of skills, perspectives, cultural backgrounds and experiences to our work -- and that our teams align with the people we serve in order to build trust and understanding. We are dedicated to fostering a community that embraces diversity - in ideas, backgrounds and perspectives; this is reflected in our work and represented in our people.

Position Summary

Under the direction of the Community Practice Quality and Patient Safety Manager and in collaboration with foundation leadership, the Community Practice Quality and Patient Safety Specialist will support the design, implementation, evaluation and advancement of a culture of clinical quality and patient safety within the City of Hope Community practices. The incumbent plans, supports the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement functions of the City of Hope Community practices providing the leadership necessary to achieve national best practice performance levels in quality improvement while facilitating the implementation of evidence based clinical practices. Ensures that the quality of oncology care services rendered meets or exceeds professionally recognized national and institutional standards. Interfaces with a diverse range of clinical and administrative professionals, resolves sometimes complex policy and service issues within the group, directs prescribed data analysis and reporting activities and ensures compliance with regulatory agency requirements as applicable.

Key Responsibilities include:

Professional Development:

  • Maintains professional code of ethics and scope of practice by adhering to national, institutional and divisional standards, policies, procedures and protocols.
  • Participates in appropriate professional organizations
  • Maintains current licensure and certifications
  • Demonstrates accountability and responsibility for own professional practices
  • Attends organization wide and medical staff committees as assigned.
  • Attends at least 70% of assigned meetings
  • Maintains awareness of own developmental needs
  • Shares new knowledge with other members of the staff and colleagues
  • Incorporates knowledge and skills into professional practice and program development
  • Utilizes networking to obtain relevant information in the understanding and application of relevant
  • Practice and regulatory standards.

Supports the program for quality improvement for City of Hope community practice sites.

  • Implements, and evaluates the plan for achieving a culture of quality and patient safety consistent with national patient safety goals and the strategic priorities of City of Hope.
  • Participates in developing strategies for selecting quality measures that support the provision of high quality safe patient/family care.
  • Collaborates with City of Hope hospital leadership to integrate practice improvement activities into the strategic plan and quality department’s priorities.
  • Recommends and collaborates with cancer center leaders to determine the educational needs of community practice staff and providers relative to quality and evidenced-based practice.
  • Works with medical center and foundation leaders and staff to create a culture of accountability and readiness related to quality initiatives.
  • Supports the work related to those required by regulatory agencies including Department of Health, CMS, Radiation Safety, Lab certifications and pharmacy licenses.

Provides input to the strategic and tactical planning for the quality improvement program, including needs assessments, evaluations, root cause analysis and rapid cycle quality improvement techniques.

  • Designs programs to evaluate patient/family care and to identify, study, and correct deficiencies; identifies opportunities to improve the patient –care delivery process and the patient experience.
  • Continuously seeks and encourages others to seek innovative ways to improve outcomes by transforming the City of Hope community practice culture.
  • Facilitates improvement processes and sharing of practices between the medical center and each community practice site to ensure that all disease-based teams/practice areas utilize similar/congruent approaches.
  • Implements strategies to improve quality outcomes by integrating clinical quality patient care groups and evaluating findings for applicability to other practice areas.
  • Assists with design of data collection tools, facilitates data collection and analysis, and consults with leaders and staff to convert data into useful information to make process and practice change.
  • Provides process improvement expertise and consultative services for issues related to clinical quality, patient safety, and patient satisfaction.
  • Organizes, facilitates and leads the review and analysis of patient incidents, conducting root cause analyses on serious events in collaboration with QRRM, physicians, staff and leadership.

Serves as a liaison among and between City of Hope National Medical Center and City of Hope Medical Foundation for the purpose of improving quality care and integration.

  • Collaborates in the design and implementation of an integrated organizational quality program.
  • Actively participates with identified quality and safety departments and committees to develop integrated quality improvement processes.
  • Represents City of Hope in the development of performance goals based on evidenced based best practices.
  • Participates in the development, review and revision of hospital and community practice policies that relate to clinical practice and process improvements reflective of City of Hope’s patient centered mission and vision.
  • Works with QRRM and Foundation leadership to determine the appropriate program and disease specific quality metrics, including method of reporting.
  • Participates in decisions about data tracking, analysis, and dissemination systems.

Facilitates the translation of evidence into practice

  • Facilitates and organizes clinical quality teams to evaluate, analyze and synthesize data based on evidence and benchmarks.
  • Develops processes that utilize evidence and accelerate rapid change in response to identified needs.
  • Utilizes lean processes as a means of facilitating discussion among work groups when indicated.
  • Utilizes PDSA model to facilitate performance improvement projects.
  • Develops a process by which all levels of practitioners can question established processes and traditional assumptions, identify opportunities for innovation and seek alternative solutions, by promoting experimentation and rewarding early adopters.
  • Uses concepts of evidenced-based practice for benchmarking and incorporation into change processes.
  • Facilitates the use of research findings and evidenced-based practice in problem solving.

Supports data management related to patient safety and quality

  • Provides input for indicator selection and data collection.
  • Acts a liaison to various groups in all matters of quality and safety.
  • Prepares and disseminates reports and information based on quality improvement/patient safety initiatives to medicine/surgery, nursing, community practice quality council, and other hospital and community practice leaders and departments.
  • Reviews, evaluates, and implements strategies based on aggregate data from variance tracking and outcome management systems providing interpretation and guidance to make data meaningful and determine if outcomes have been achieved and are sustainable over time.
  • Collaborates with QRRM leadership and staff to collect, analyze, and provide clinician-sensitive quality data.
  • In collaboration with QRRM, prepares quality and safety committee meeting agendas and accompanying documents.

Provides input to ensure cost effective strategies which result in improved patient outcomes and applicable regulatory compliance

  • Facilitates clinical decision-making processes that optimize the use of resources as well as attain quality outcomes.
  • Anticipates programmatic needs, assesses cost as an integral part of achieving quality outcomes and recommend appropriate budget.
  • Investigates and optimize cost savings and revenue generating strategies.

Performs other duties as assigned

Basic education, experience and skills required for consideration:

  • BSN Experience may substitute for minimum education requirements.
  • Three years experience in clinical nursing and/or quality, risk and regulatory activities
  • Ambulatory experience

Required Certification/Licensure:

  • Current California RN license
  • California’s Driver’s License
  • Certification in Quality, Infection Prevention, or Safety (preferred)

Preferred education, experience and skills required for consideration:

  • Master’s degree in nursing, health or business emphasis (MHA, MBA, MPH, etc).
  • Infection Prevention, Sterilization and Disinfection.
  • Oncology experience
  • Performance Improvement
  • Six Sigma, performance improvement/lean methodology experience.
  • Understanding research components and research functions.
  • Experience with clinic transformation and change management

Additional Information:

  • Job Status: Full-time, exempt
  • Hybrid work schedule
  • Role will require some travel to clinical network sites (approximately 5-8 sites)
  • As a condition of employment, City of Hope requires staff to comply with all state and federal vaccination mandates.

Salary / Pay Rate Information:
Pay Rate: $48.30 - $77.28 / hour

The estimated pay scale represents the typical [salary/hourly] range City of Hope reasonably expects to pay for this position, with offers determined based on several factors which may include, but not be limited to, the candidate’s experience, expertise, skills, education, job scope, training, internal equity, geography/market, etc. This pay scale is subject to change from time to time.



City of Hope is a community of people characterized by our diversity of thought, background and approach, but tied together by our commitment to care for and cure those with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The innovation that our diversity produces in the areas of research, treatment, philanthropy and education has made us national leaders in this fight. Our unique and diverse workforce provides us the ability to understand our patients' needs, deliver compassionate care and continue the quest for a cure for life-threatening diseases. At City of Hope, diversity and inclusion is a core value at the heart of our mission. We strive to create an inclusive workplace environment that engages all of our employees and provides them with opportunities to develop and grow, both personally and professionally. Each day brings an opportunity to strengthen our work, leverage our different perspectives and improve our patients’ experiences by learning from others. Diversity and inclusion is about much more than policies and campaigns. It is an integral part of who we are as an institution, how we operate and how we see our future.