At Memorial Hermann, we pursue a common goal of delivering high quality, efficient care while creating exceptional experiences for every member of our community. When we say every member of our community, that includes our employees. We know that when our employees feel cared for, heard and valued, they are inspired to create moments that exceed expectations, while prioritizing safety, compassion, personalization and efficiency. If you want to advance your career and contribute to our vision of creating healthier communities, now and for generations to come, we want you to be a part of our team.

Job Summary

The Performance Improvement Specialist is responsible for driving progress of robust process improvement projects at the local level. The PI Specialist will facilitate and coordinate quality, process, and performance improvement activities using robust process improvement methodology and maximize identification of process defects and replication of proven improvement strategies. The components of robust process improvement program include, but are not limited to appropriate prioritization of projects based on strategic goals, level of urgency and availability of robust data. The PI Specialist works collaboratively with local key stakeholders including process owners, organization leaders and physicians. The Performance Improvement Specialist is responsible for review and analysis of Quality, Patient Safety, and Infection Prevention data to identify opportunities for improvement; identifies subject matter experts and core teams, facilitates implementation plans, finalizes control or monitoring plans, shares best practices to allow for local as well as system-wide learning, collaborates with hospital Councils to share knowledge leading to optimal outcomes and continuous education of robust process improvement within the hospital. The PI Specialist also participates in the clinical quality measures data collection and acts as a resource for accomplishing inter-rater reliability in clinical quality data collection and submission.

Job Description

Minimum Qualifications

Education: MD, BSN or other 4-year clinical degree required

Licenses/ Certifications: Process improvement certification required or completed within 12 months of employment (Lean Six Sigma, Robust Process Improvement ®, CS&E Program or equivalent training) 

Experience / Knowledge / Skills:

• Minimum of three (3) years acute hospital experience

• Knowledge of leading practice in clinical care and regulatory and accreditation requirements

• Knowledge of quality measures up to date specifications (e.g. Core Measure Specifications for TJC/CMS )

• Self-motivated, proven communication skills, assertive

• Demonstrated effective working relationship with physicians and leadership

• Ability to work collaboratively with health care professionals at all levels to achieve established goals and improve quality outcomes

• Strong team facilitation skills including building trust and open communication regarding project issues and results

• Statistical software proficiency preferred (i.e. Engine Room, Minitab, JMP)

Principal Accountabilities

• Participate in and coordinate comprehensive data collection for compliance of national, state, regional and internal clinical quality measures including concurrent core measures review and/or centralized abstraction.

• Assists in identifying local clinical quality measures improvement opportunities based on evidence based clinical practices and statistical analysis of current practice patterns.

• Contributes to local clinical quality measures data collection, aggregation, and dissemination.

• Contributes to short term and long term local clinical quality measures robust process improvement projects to continuously improve the clinical quality measuring, monitoring and compliance program.

• Develops and implements a plan for essential data collection, thorough analysis and effective data manipulation at the local level.

• Works with robust process improvement sponsor for improvement strategies.

• Educates local staff and physicians to provide evidenced based care and improve clinical outcomes.

• Educates and mentor hospital staff on robust process improvement techniques.

• Participates in validating accurate clinical quality measures abstraction through systematic inter rater reliability processes.

• Facilitates site or hospital robust process improvement project teams.

• Shares best practices to allow for hospital as well as system-wide learning.

• Collaborates with enterprise quality and patient safety program, in particular the centralized abstraction function, to share knowledge leading to better outcomes.

• Ensures safe care to patients, staff and visitors; adheres to all Memorial Hermann policies, procedures, and standards within budgetary specifications including time management, supply management, productivity and quality of service.

• Promotes individual professional growth and development by meeting requirements for mandatory/continuing education and skills competency; supports department-based goals which contribute to the success of the organization; serves as preceptor, mentor and resource to less experienced staff.

• Demonstrates commitment to caring for every member of our community by creating compassionate and personalized experiences. Models Memorial Hermann’s service standards by providing safe, caring, personalized and efficient experiences to patients and colleagues.

• Other duties as assigned.