New job Quality Improvement Consultant I in Washington

Quality Improvement Consultant I

Optum Care Network is now offering qualified candidates an opportunity to join our team as a Quality Improvement Consultant I. Our company values innovative problem solvers promote personal and professional growth and provides a supportive working environment that affords all of its employees a healthy work/life balance.

Under general supervision, assists with development and management for patient experience projects and programs. Provides program management support, team consultation, and small-scale improvement project facilitation, data analysis, synthesis, reporting and evaluation, and coordination/ facilitation of program-based education or training.

Program content focus may include patient experience, HOS/CAHPS performance, provider and team communication, and approaches to improving work processes and standard work. Evaluate, analyze and manage data related to service quality and patient experience. Plans, organizes, and executes education programs for care providers, their teams, and network engagement partners.

Optum Care Network creates the opportunity for independent private practitioners to thrive in Washington State. By providing clinical integration support and data driven quality improvement, we have created a high value delivery network, making it possible for our providers to remain focused squarely on their patients.

This position will be working partially remote with travel as needed for in person meetings.

Status: Regular, Full-time

Competitive Pay and Benefits

Primary responsibilities will include:

• Program and Project Management Support and Targeted Improvement Project Facilitation
• Serves as a subject matter expert for quality and patient experience programs, project management and foundational lean improvement application to improve workflow and build reliable methods.
• Facilitates and supports improvement, including development of work plans, timelines, project support and documentation.
• Recommends policy and procedure changes to improve patient care.
• Builds best practice models and tools to share across the network that would be flexible for regional partners.
• May review/develop policies/procedures/guidelines/standard work in collaboration with operations and as needed by the Quality Department.
• Coordination/Facilitation of Program Based Education or Training.
• Plans, coordinates and organizes education programs or training for physicians and clinical staff as needed.
• May provide training and consultation on program content including lean principles, methods and tools.
• Facilitates and supports the Clinic’s clinical initiatives utilizing lean principles, methods and tools.
• Data Analysis, Synthesis, Reporting and Evaluation.
• Assists to support teams to identify appropriate project measurement and monitors trends and utilizes data to drive quality, patient safety and process improvement.
• Collaborates with the quality department data analysts and Information Technology Department, or other support departments as needed, to provide relevant reports or information to complete project tasks.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge: Proficient understanding of clinical quality and patient safety disciplines in healthcare. Knowledge and experience with Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Outlook, email and internet. Familiarity in navigating and working in the electronic medical record preferred.

Skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills. Effective project management skills. Strong organizational and time management skills. The QI Consultant is skilled in facilitation of meetings, small process improvement efforts and is able to apply lean concepts such as built-in-quality, waste, flow, pull, 5S, standard work and auditing, and needs to be proficient at analytics and project management techniques, especially utilizing the OPPM (one-page project management) tool preferred .

Abilities: Able to prepare and facilitate presentations/ discussions. Ability to problem solve issues independently to identify barriers and support team to accomplish goals as well as work with teams collaboratively to solve system issues. Able to understand, apply and coach small teams on basic lean methodology, tools and principles to help build reliable methods and standard work.

Minimum Requirements:

Education: Bachelor’s degree, preferred. College level course work in statistical analysis is desirable. Experience in Lean methodology a plus.

Experience: Three years of health care experience preferably related to programs managed (i.e., patient experience, clinical quality or infection control and prevention). 1-2 years project management experience preferred. Direct involvement in efforts to improve systems/ processes, preferred.

Certificate/License: Project management certification preferred

Careers with Optum. Here's the idea. We built an entire organization around one giant objective; make health care work better for everyone. Optum, part of the UnitedHealth Group family of businesses, brings together some of the greatest minds and most advanced ideas on where health care has to go in order to reach its fullest potential. For you, that means working on high performance teams against sophisticated challenges that matter. Here you’ll find incredible ideas in one incredible company and a singular opportunity to do your life's best work.(SM)

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: Optum and its affiliated medical practices are Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employers and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Optum and its affiliated medical practices is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.