Patient Care Quality and Safety Consultant

Position Summary
Interior Health is looking for an experienced Patient Care Quality and Safety Consultant looking to join our team on a full time term specific basis. This position has a flexible work location from within the Interior Health Region.

This term is expected to last until March 31 2025

What we offer:
-Employee & Family Assistance Program
-Employer paid training/education opportunities
-Employer paid vacation
-Medical Services Plan
-Employer paid insurance premiums
-Extended health & dental coverage
-potential for Municipal Pension Plan
-Work-life balance

Salary:
Salary range for the position is $88,990 to $127,923. Interior Health establishes salaries within the minimum and maximum of the salary range based on consideration of the qualifications, experience of the applicant, and an internal equity review of the salaries of other employees.

About the job:
In accordance with the established vision and values of the organization Patient Care Quality and Safety Consultant provides leadership and expertise in patient safety and client concerns management to promote a culture of safety and patient-centered care across the organization in support of program priorities within Quality and Patient Safety.

The Consultant leads Quality Reviews and Patient Safety Investigations following serious adverse events. An important focus is on learning from clinical practice, specifically healthcare system failures, through the comprehensive analysis of serious adverse events occurring throughout the region. The Consultant provides expertise and support for the application and integration of evidence-based tools, frameworks, and guidelines to support safety across the system of care. The Consultant facilitates quality improvement initiatives to promote quality and safety improvements across the Health Authority.

Typical duties and responsibilities:
• Provides leadership and expertise to promote a culture of safety within IH.
• Develops and maintains excellence in quality care by providing unique expertise and leadership in the investigation and analysis of serious adverse events.
• Builds, leads, and effectively facilitates multidisciplinary Critical Incident Investigation and Quality Review teams following serious adverse events.
• Develops and follows processes to ensure involvement of patients and family members in the patient safety investigation and quality review process.
• Provides consultation, support, and assistance to operational and medical staff throughout the disclosure process after adverse events as needed.
• Provides consultation, coaching, and training for leaders, medical staff, and employees regarding Quality Reviews, patient safety investigations, and complaint management.
• Ensures documentation and reporting are completed in accordance with the PCQRBA and IH policy and standards and in keeping with privacy, confidentiality, and health care evidence legislation.
• Conducts investigations into adverse events, concerns, or issues by gathering information; interviewing witnesses, experts, and patient/family members; and contacting applicable internal partners and external agencies as required. Prepares reports and presents to leaders and committees as required.
• Facilitates the development of recommendations and actions related to patient safety and resolution of concerns where applicable, tracking implementation through to completion.
• Builds coalitions and liaises with IH leaders, medical staff, network leaders and employees as well as external agencies such as licensing bodies, professional associations, provincial government, RCMP, the Coroner’s Office, the Ombudsperson’s Office, and others regarding patient safety investigations and the management of concerns.
• Works with Quality and Patient Safety staff to ensure issues of mutual concern are appropriately managed. Contributes to the development, implementation, evaluation, and maintenance of policies, procedures, accreditation standards and objectives associated with Quality and Patient Safety.
• Effectively uses data to evaluate effectiveness of processes and for improvement relevant to patient safety and concerns management.
• Supports and promotes the mission, philosophy, and strategic direction for IH associated with patient safety and patient/client relations.
• In alignment with IH’s Occupational Health & Safety Program, employees shall adhere to all Occupational Health and Safety policies and procedures at all times and attend all required training. Employees are responsible to report any identified hazards, unsafe conditions or incidents to the manager or supervisor immediately.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualfications
Honouring Interior Health’s commitment to Truth and Reconciliation and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), and Pursuant to Section 42 of the BC Human Rights Code, preferential consideration and/or hiring will be given to qualified applicants who self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit).

Education, Training, and Experience
• A Master’s degree in a health-related field, and educational preparation in quality improvement and patient safety.
• Five to seven years of experience, including two to five years recent clinical experience in health care services and/or experience in data management, and three to five years progressive leadership experience.
• Training and certifications in patient safety and quality improvement methods is preferred.
• Or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.