Quality Improvement Specialist II

Sea Mar Community Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) founded in 1978, is a community-based organization committed to providing quality, comprehensive health, human, housing, educational and cultural services to diverse communities, specializing in service to Latinos in Washington State. Sea Mar proudly serves all persons without regard to race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, or sexual orientation, and regardless of ability to pay for services. Sea Mar's network of services includes more than 90 medical, dental, and behavioral health clinics and a wide variety of nutritional, social, and educational services. We are recruiting for the following position:

Sea Mar is a mandatory COVID-19 and flu vaccine organization

Position Summary

The Quality Improvement Specialist II is a member of the quality team who is responsible for assisting the Quality Management Director in managing the corporate Quality Assurance Program and the Quality Improvement Program by interpreting and implementing quality assurance standards according to the Joint Commission, CLIA, OSHA, NCQA and other relevant professional entities. The incumbent will assist with promoting and monitoring service excellence, safety and risk reduction.
The Quality Improvement Specialist II will work directly with the Quality Management Director to help support site managers and supervisors to further develop, review and evaluate the organization-wide Quality Improvement & Assurance Program.

Duties and Responsibilities

As a mission-driven organization, the core values of, and the services offered at Sea Mar are based on the belief that everyone deserves to be respectfully treated in a way that preserves dignity and enhances self-worth. Sea Mar is an advocate for its clients and aims to achieve industry-leading, client-centered, culturally-aware services.
Sea Mar employees serve as an extension of this mission and demonstrate their commitment to an excellent client experience by:

• Understanding and empathizing with client needs
• Surpassing client expectations
• Demonstrating a high level of integrity
• Exhibiting compassion and commitment
• Advocating for social justice
• Taking pride in individual work as well as that of the team
• Continually learning to stay current with industry standards, best practices and technology

As a Sea Mar employee, the individual in this position commits to adherence to these values to their utmost ability and endeavors to strengthen and embody this mission daily.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Includes the following:

• Assist the Quality Improvement Manager in implementing processes designed and approved by upper management.
• Assist with helping and supporting all sites in complying with Joint Commission and Patient Centered Medical Home standards.
• Assist the Quality Improvement Manager in supporting the quality of care processes by assisting administrators, program directors, clinic managers and supervisors in the development of systems to prevent and manage adverse events.
• Assist with reviewing quality assurance standards for Joint Commission, NCQA and other Quality Improvement Methods that can help initiate corrective actions plan that ensure compliance when required.
• Assist in evaluating the effectiveness of the Quality Assurance/Improvement program and help monitor corrective action(s).
• Assist in assessing data, generating tracking and trending reports and provide information of findings to the Quality Improvement Manager.
• Helps with the development of performance activity goals for all departments.
• Coordinates and conducts on-site inspections, evaluations and tracers.
• Produce and provide onsite inspections reports directly to site managers.
• Help with planning, organizing, and conducting emergency preparedness drills.
• Help anticipate and assess QI needs of health center by identifying educational opportunities for improvement.
• Help identify teaching resources and techniques appropriate for assigned QI projects.
• Will supervise the QI support staff in absence of Quality Improvement Manager.
• Others duties as assigned to fulfill Sea Mar Community Health Centers mission.

Conditions of Employment

• This person must sign an oath of permanent confidentiality covering all patient related information.
• This person must receive a background check from the Washington State Patrol.
• The new employee shall sign and date the job description to affirm the validity of the information herein, and to signify compliance with the conditions of employment.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Minimum Requirements

• Interest in and knowledge of community health care and primary care.
• Knowledge of principles related to Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH), Meaningful Use (MU) and QI (e.g., Lean, Model for Improvement, PDSA’s).
• Must be willing to travel throughout Washington State.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, training/meeting facilitation skills a plus.
• Solid relationship building and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent writing, research, analytical and time management skills.
• Excellent coordination skills, including multitasking and setting priorities on work assignments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to organize and coordinate various activities involved in a research, collaborative and demonstration project.
• High degree of independence, flexibility, initiative and commitment.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse population both internally and externally.
• Demonstrated awareness and value of cultural competence.
• Commitment to improving the patient-client experience.

Language Skills

• Must possess the ability to read and interpret regulatory documents and proposal guidelines.
• Must have excellent written language skills and be able to speak effectively before groups.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish preferred, but not required.

Reasoning Ability

• Ability to solve practical problems and a variety of situations where only limited standardization exists is required.
• Must be able to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.
• Ability to add, subtracts, multiply and divides.
• Must be able to effectively utilize a 10 key adding machine.
• Must be able to maintain and update the QI audit database.

Equipment Skills

• Must be computer literate and have good mathematical skills.

Education and Experience, Certificates, Licenses, Registrations, and Medical Screening

Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in health sciences, business or related field.
• Graduation from an accredited college or university, with work in health services administration, business or a related field. One to two years’ experience may be substituted for formal education.
• At least one to two years relevant project management and QI experience.
• Experience in or with a FQHC preferred.
• Electronic health record (EHR) experience preferred.
• Experience in Windows Office programs preferred.

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations

• Must have a valid Washington Driver's License and maintain automobile insurance.

Additional Requirements

• Pre-hire and annual employee health screening required.
• Annual influenza vaccine required. Only exception is for employees with a medical or religious exemption approved by Administration. Employees with an approved medical or religious exemption must wear a mask at all times during the flu season.
• TB testing annually required.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Though work is normally performed in office setting, this person must have the ability to travel as required to work with staff and participate in conferences.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud. The employee may be required to share work space with other employees. Adequate lighting and equipment are available to the employee. Use of ergonomic office furniture will be used when available and appropriate.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit or walk for extended periods of time, talk and hear. The employee is required to stand, use hands and fingers, handle or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee must be able to lift/move up to 50 pounds. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

What We Offer:

Sea Mar offers talented and motivated people the opportunity to work in a dynamic and growing community health organization. Working at Sea Mar Community Health Centers is more than just a job, it’s a fulfilling career with opportunity for advancement. The fringe benefits surpass most companies. For example, Full-time employees working 30 hours or more, receive an excellent benefit package of:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Prescription coverage
• Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
• Paid-time-off starting at 24 days per year + 10 paid Holidays.
• We also offer 401(k)/Retirement options and an exciting opportunity to work in a culturally diverse environment. 

Sea Mar is an equal opportunity employer.

Please visit our website to learn more about us at www.seamar.org. You may also apply thru our Career page at this link.