Director, Risk Management & Patient Safety (KFH/HP)

Director, Risk Management & Patient Safety (KFH/Client)
Downey, CA - Onsite
Full Time
The Director, Risk Management & Patient Safety will provide leadership for patient safety and clinical risk management programs within an acute care hospital environment. The role is responsible for identifying and mitigating clinical risks, overseeing patient safety initiatives, supporting regulatory compliance, and promoting a culture of continuous learning and safety.
The Director will oversee critical risk-management projects involving cybersecurity, reimbursement changes, medical science developments, infection prevention, patient safety, and clinical quality. The position also serves as a subject matter expert for clinical quality improvement processes and regulations and works closely with senior leadership, physicians, clinical teams, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Risk Management & Patient Safety

• Direct and manage patient safety and clinical risk management programs within an acute care hospital setting.
• Establish standards for corrective action plans related to utilization reviews, clinical record audits, claim denials, patient satisfaction surveys, significant events, near misses, and other risk indicators.
• Lead and establish standards for Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA).
• Identify, escalate, and mitigate high-risk issues and trends.
• Oversee significant event management, safety hazards, accidents, incidents, threats, and other patient safety events.
• Monitor health outcomes and risk-management effectiveness.
• Develop strategies to maintain a culture of continuous learning and patient safety.

Clinical Quality & Regulatory Compliance

• Serve as a subject matter expert on clinical quality improvement processes, regulations, policies, and legislation.
• Advise leadership and stakeholders on regulatory requirements and potential impacts on healthcare operations.
• Ensure compliance with applicable California regulatory, accreditation, and patient safety standards.
• Oversee regulatory audits and continuous survey-readiness activities.
• Serve as a primary contact for applicable government, regulatory, vendor, and stakeholder interactions.
• Develop and maintain audit documentation, reports, processes, and tools.

Infection Prevention & Architectural Risk

• Oversee infection prevention and control programs supporting employee and patient safety.
• Direct epidemiological investigations and outbreak-management activities.
• Coordinate outbreak containment protocols and prevention efforts.
• Consult with administration regarding infection-control implications of architectural design, renovation, and construction.

Quality Improvement & Data Analytics

• Identify and evaluate opportunities for clinical performance improvement.
• Develop and implement quality initiatives that improve care and operational performance.
• Collect and analyze data to identify trends and patterns.
• Develop and monitor quality-improvement metrics.
• Interpret statistical analyses and apply findings to healthcare operations.
• Use information from databases, hospital discharge data, claims, vital statistics, infection control research, utilization reviews, patient satisfaction, and population health needs analysis to support strategy and decision-making.

Leadership & Team Development

• Develop and coach managers and staff.
• Build collaborative networks and support professional development.
• Oversee recruitment, selection, development, and performance management of talent.
• Maintain a highly skilled and engaged workforce.
• Establish goals, provide feedback, and support performance improvement.
• Develop contingency plans and remove obstacles affecting team performance.
• Provide guidance on complex decisions and encourage expanded decision-making responsibilities.

Clinical Quality & Patient Care

• Oversee quality-of-care complaints, reviews, referrals, and sensitive patient case investigations.
• Direct preparation of documentation and records for complex patient case reviews.
• Identify trends and risk indicators from investigations and claims.
• Establish standards for surveillance of quality metrics, incidents, and near misses.
• Oversee development of new clinical quality improvement programs.
• Partner with senior management and stakeholders to establish quality standards, metrics, and sustainable improvement programs.
• Promote best practices in patient care delivery and evidence-based healthcare.

Required Qualifications

Critical Must-Haves

• CPHRM certification.
• Recent Clinical Risk Management experience in an acute care hospital setting.
• 3–5 years of recent clinical risk management experience, with demonstrated expertise in detailed clinical chart reviews and leading Root Cause Analyses.
• Experience directing/managing patient safety and clinical risk management programs.
• Active California RN license preferred/required by hiring preference.
• Experience with:
  • Infection prevention program oversight
  • Architectural infection-control consulting
  • Healthcare cybersecurity risk
  • Root Cause Analysis
  • FMEA
  • Acute care hospital risk management
  • Population health needs analysis
  • Regulatory and accreditation compliance
  • Patient safety initiatives
• Strong analytical, leadership, communication, and risk-assessment skills.

Additional Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of leadership experience, with or without direct reports.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in a clinical setting, healthcare administration, or directly related field.
• Minimum 2 years managing operational or project budgets.
• Minimum 5 years of experience with databases and spreadsheets.
• Minimum 4 years delivering training programs.
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, Nursing, Public Health, or related field plus 7+ years of healthcare/related experience, or 10+ years of healthcare/related experience.
• Professional Healthcare Risk Management Certificate or Professional Healthcare Quality Certificate within 24 months of hire if applicable.