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The Director of Patient Safety leads the strategic transition of patient safety and clinical risk operations from a reactive management model to a proactive, forward-thinking harm prevention program. This executive role drives facility-wide initiatives that cultivate a strong culture of safety, eliminate preventable medical errors, and optimize clinical outcomes.
Operating with a high degree of autonomy, accountability, and organizational authority, the Director oversees comprehensive patient safety programs, leverages data analytics to identify systemic trends, and guides multidisciplinary teams through continuous performance improvement.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Safety Leadership: Design, implement, and oversee a proactive, enterprise-wide Patient Safety & Harm Reduction Program aligned with national quality standards.
- Proactive Risk Mitigation: Lead root cause analyses (RCA), failure mode and effects analyses (FMEA), and adverse event investigations to identify system vulnerabilities and prevent recurring clinical errors.
- Culture of Safety & Reliability: Promote a non-punitive, just culture that encourages transparent error reporting, clinical accountability, and continuous safety education across all patient care areas.
- Data Analytics & Performance Improvement: Direct the collection, trending, and analysis of patient safety metrics, incident reports, and clinical performance data to drive targeted quality improvement initiatives.
- Regulatory & Accreditation Readiness: Ensure ongoing compliance with Joint Commission safety goals, CMS Conditions of Participation, state healthcare regulations, and patient safety organization (PSO) standards.
- Multidisciplinary Alignment: Partner with executive leadership, medical staff chairs, nursing directors, and risk management leaders to standardize clinical practice and eliminate variation in care.
Qualifications & Requirements
Education & Credentials
- Education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited program required; Master’s degree (MSN, MHA, or MBA) strongly preferred.
- Licensure: Active Registered Nurse (RN) license or valid Multistate/Compact RN License (eligible for state endorsement).
- Certification: Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS) required within 12 months of hire. Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) or CPHRM a plus.
Experience & Background
- Clinical Experience: Minimum of 3+ years of progressive leadership experience in clinical Quality, Performance Improvement, Patient Safety, or Risk Management within an acute care hospital setting.
- Acute Care Breadth: Demonstrated expertise managing safety initiatives across diverse inpatient modalities (e.g., Perioperative Services, Critical Care, Emergency, and Inpatient Units).
- Technical Skills: Proficiency in root cause analysis (RCA) methodology, clinical risk assessments, EHR data extraction, and quality improvement frameworks (Lean, Six Sigma, or PDSA).
Core Competencies
- Executive Autonomy: Proven capability to operate independently, navigate complex clinical matrix structures, and influence executive stakeholders.
- Proactive Problem Solving: Ability to translate complex clinical data into actionable, multi-departmental safety improvements.
- Clinical Credibility: Exceptional interpersonal communication and conflict-resolution skills to foster high-trust partnerships with medical and nursing staff.