Clinical Risk Manager - Quality & Safety at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

The people of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) are united by a singular mission: ending cancer for life. Our specialized care teams provide personalized, compassionate, expert care to patients of all ages. Informed by basic research done at our Sloan Kettering Institute, scientists across MSK collaborate to conduct innovative translational and clinical research that is driving a revolution in our understanding of cancer as a disease and improving the ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat it. MSK is dedicated to training the next generation of scientists and clinicians, who go on to pursue our mission at MSK and around the globe. 

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Clinical Risk Manager - Quality & Safety

Intriguing opportunity available. We are seeking a Clinical Risk Manager to join our Quality & Safety team.

Role Overview:

• Under the leadership of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s (MSK) Division of Quality & Safety, and in close partnership with MSK’s Departmental Quality Assurance (QA) teams and MSK Legal, the Clinical Risk Manager leads the operation of the patient safety risk management program and provides guidance to clinical staff on issues of risk identification and mitigation.
• The Clinical Risk Manager develops and maintains systems within the organization to detect, monitor, prevent, and measure, patient adverse events, malpractice claims, and other indicators of potential patient harm.
• The Clinical Risk Manager is responsible, in coordination with MSK Legal, for reporting to internal and external stakeholders (e.g., MSK leadership, its captive insurance program, and excess insurance carriers) on clinical risk and claims issues and will support and guide patient safety and clinical teams on event disclosure and early resolution efforts. MSK’s key aims in this area are to be on the leading edge of improving health outcomes and service, increasing patient safety, and reducing error in health care processes.  This position will be vital to accomplishing these objectives.

Program Management -

• Manages the development and implementation of the MSK-wide Risk Management Program, including the coordination of risk management activities and patient safety efforts.
• Promotes Risk Management and Patient Safety programs throughout MSK to all staff and physicians in conjunction with the Quality & Safety team and MSK Legal.
• In coordination with Corporate Compliance, proactively evaluates areas of organizational risk based on internal assessments and external benchmarking and implements strategies and policies to promote patient and staff safety.
• In coordination with Quality & Safety Leadership, promotes the organization-wide RISQ (Reporting to Improve Safety and Quality) online safety event reporting process, including trending, reporting of results, identification of problem-prone areas, and the facilitation of prevention initiatives.
• In coordination with MSK Legal, develops and implements preventive risk management programs.  Educates and trains staff in appropriate procedures, documentation, reporting, and follow-up in key areas of risk management interest. Is the organization’s expert resource in risk reduction and keeps abreast of trends in the industry.
• Keep up to date with new and revised state and federal regulations and statutes related to hospitals and patient care. In collaboration with MSK Legal, Regulatory Affairs, and other stakeholders, reviews and evaluates related policies and procedures and recommends revisions as needed.

Patient Safety Event Management -

• Evaluates incidents for severity, frequency, and probability of financial loss, and reports as necessary to appropriate administration, committees, and personnel.  Collaborates with Quality & Safety to direct appropriate incidents to event review process. Uses industry benchmarking to compare appropriate data.
• In coordination with MSK Legal, ensures a thorough and credible investigation of all identified potentially compensable events and claims.  Evaluates the investigation of all claim files on a routine basis in accordance with accepted standards. 
• Collaborates with Quality & Safety and MSK Legal to review serious occurrences requiring Root Cause Analysis. 
• Responds to sentinel events and other serious occurrences and provide expert advice in the management and reporting of such events to administrative and clinical leadership and staff.
• Meets regularly with senior departmental leadership to provide detailed reports on all serious incidents, claims, and risk-related issues.

Analysis, Reporting & Stakeholder Management -

• Works with data analytics to develop statistical and qualitative reports on risk management trends and patterns and communicates this information effectively to appropriate audiences and stakeholders within MSK.
• Analyzes all statistical reports and advisories that identify risk management and patient safety patterns and trends for leadership.
• Participates as a member of appropriate committees and task forces formed and designed to improve quality, safety and to reduce organizational risk.
• Builds and maintains trusting relationships and supports requests from internal and external stakeholders to enhance transparent communication regarding risk and safety. Is able to build business relationships, strategic alliances, and partnerships, and also is able to secure mutual benefit from such arrangements.
• Helps assure risks are minimized through follow up and actions on all regulatory/insurance survey report recommendations/deficiencies. Is aware of the fiduciary duties to identify, disclose and manage the organization’s risk.

Management of Potential/Actual Claims -

• In conjunction with Patient Representative and MSK Legal, coordinates risk management plan for complaints/events that may be considered potentially compensable claims. 
• Partners with MSK Legal to give an account of all potential/actual claims to executive leadership in a timely fashion.
• Develops loss control measures relating to patient care complaints including, but not limited to, billing adjustments, access to medical care, and the provision of certain treatments when appropriate.
• In collaboration with MSK Legal, acts as liaison with insurance carriers and coordinates and prepares materials necessary for renewal of insurance applications.
• Serves as a resource to organizational staff on issues related to professional liability and other risks. Demonstrates role model behavior regarding proper patient and staff satisfaction, conduct, confidentiality, complaint resolution, and problem-solving.

Key Qualifications:

• Minimum of five years of Risk Management experience in a hospital setting.
• RN or other clinical experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of applicable safety rules and regulations required.
• Expertise in high reliability principles and concepts preferred.
• Certified Professional Healthcare Risk Manager (CPHRM) to be obtained within 2 years of employment.

Core Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills.
• Demonstrates excellent judgment and decision making skills.
• Exhibits the ability to deal with difficult situations diplomatically and always maintains confidentiality. 
• Demonstrates analytical and systems thinking skills.
• Facility with standard Microsoft Office or related products.
• Knowledge of electronic event reporting product and data management systems.

Additional Information:

• Location: Hybrid / 633 Third Avenue, NYC
• Schedule: Monday - Friday, 9 am - 5 pm
• Reporting to the Vice President of Quality of Safety

Pay Range: $109,300 - $174,800/annually

Helpful Links:

• MSK Compensation Philosophy
• Review Our Greats Benefits Offerings

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