POSITION SUMMARY/RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the direction of the Senior Vice President, Chief Quality & Health Informatics Officer (SVPCQHIO), the Executive Director of Patient Safety (EDPS) has primary oversight of the University Health patient safety program. The EDPS functions as University Health's primary resource for patient safety and leads efforts to develop, implement, and evaluate enterprise patient safety and strategies and initiatives. The EDPS routinely communicates and collaborates with University Health staff, providers, and operational leaders throughout the hospital and ambulatory care system to identify and address barriers to the delivery of safe, high-quality patient care.
The EDPS is responsible for ensuring that University Health meets all applicable National Performance Goals (NPG's), as outlined by The Joint Commission. The EDPS is also primarily responsible for administering system-wide patient safety surveys to staff and providers and communicating survey findings, recommendations, and improvement priorities to senior University Health leadership. The EDPS assists in maintaining Magnet designation and supports all other system-level quality and safety goals, programs, and participatory events.
The EDPS provides enterprise leadership for medication-related patient safety, including the identification, evaluation, and mitigation of risks associated with medication-use systems. In collaboration with pharmacy leadership, physicians, nurses, quality, risk management, and other clinical and operational leaders, the EDPS reviews medication safety events and trends, supports the development of corrective and preventive action plans, and advances initiatives designed to reduce medication errors and prevent patient harm. Pharmacy will be accountable for medication safety and the medication use system, but can escalate issues and findings ot the EDPS to implement enterprise-wide initiatives.
The Patient Safety Officer works collaboratively with executive, clinical, operational, and departmental leaders responsible for advancing University Health's High Reliability Organization (HRO) and Just Culture principles. The Director supports the integration of these principles into leadership practices, safety-event evaluation, clinical operations, staff education, performance improvement, accountability systems, and organizational decision-making. This includes promoting psychological safety, encouraging transparent reporting, and learning from safety events, supporting fair nad consistent evaluation of individual and system accountability, and strengthening leadership behaviors that support a culture of safety.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, or an equivalent professional degree is required. Five or more years or relevant clinical and/or risk management experience are required, with background in the following areas preferred: direct patient care; patient safety program implementation and management; knowledge of State, Federal, and accrediting requirements as they relate to National Performance Goals and patient safety indicators.Experience with performance improvement and process improvement initiatives, strong knowledge of clinical operations, teamwork experience working cross-functionally throughout multiple disciplines required. Must possess optimistic personal outlook with high energy and motivational skills. Must have excellent interpersonal skills to build trust and rapport with all levels of staff and providers. Must be a flexible and effective connector and leader by influence and an ability and desire to work within team structure. Must have strong written and verbal communication skills.
LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION
Current licensure in the State of Texas as either a Registered Nurse or Pharmacist, consistent with the candidate's qualifying professional discipline, is required.
