Job Information
UPMC Laboratory QA/QI Coordinator - UPMC Harrisburg in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Prior Medical Laboratory Science experience is preferred.
Purpose:
The QA/QI Coordinator assists the laboratory leadership team by coordinating the quality management activities for the laboratories of the hospital and other laboratory related clinics, including point of care testing as applicable. The job responsibilities may be focused on quality assurance, quality improvement or a combination of both in supporting the quality management activities. As a member of the Laboratory Quality department, the QA/QI Coordinator in conjunction with the laboratory leadership team will act as a liaison between other departments in the hospital including nursing, quality, regulatory, risk management and other departments where process improvement efforts are identified. In addition, will also contribute to similar activities across the Laboratory Service Center (LSC) and help to guide best practice standards to ensure regulatory compliance and drive quality improvement efforts.
Responsibilities:
Provide oversight of the laboratory quality management system including coordinating with medical and laboratory leadership in the identification, development, and management of quality indicators, to assess the overall performance of the laboratory. May assist the laboratory in: monitoring trends for areas of improvement, aid in the preparation of quality assurance reports including data collection and presentation of data, present to local lab and hospital leadership, follow up with action plans when performance is outside designated thresholds and identify process improvement initiatives as determined from the quality assurance reporting.
Assist the laboratory with the coordination of all regulatory and accreditation activities. May include but are not limited to: maintaining certifications and permits for all laboratories, organizing and preparing the laboratory for any on-site and off-site inspections, conducting internal audits to assess inspection readiness, report findings of non-compliance to laboratory leadership for corrective action, maintain all records for accreditation activities, communicate all changes of regulations to laboratory leadership to ensure compliance, assist labs with interpretation of regulations as needed including communicating with accrediting agencies, assist laboratory leadership with maintenance of all proficiency testing processes which could include ordering, proficiency testing compliance notification management, and proficiency testing corrective action documentation. The QA/QI coordinator will participate in inspections both internally and externally and must demonstrate proficiency in auditing processes.
Coordinates the investigation and documentation of all quality events for the laboratory. Duties may include: coordination of the event details and summary of corrective actions. Tracking and trending of issues to identify process improvement initiatives; maintaining documentation of quality events, conduct root cause analysis, auditing resolutions for completeness, updating policies and procedures as applicable.
Participate in laboratory safety activities to ensure compliance with regulations. Activities may include: providing guidance on interpretation and education of regulations, trending safety incidents, safety audits, maintenance of laboratory safety manuals, ensuring completion of safety documentation which may include personal protective equipment assessments, chemical inventories, ergonomic assessments, drills, emergency preparedness and monitoring of hazardous and biological waste disposal.
In collaboration with lab leadership, create, revise and maintain policies to ensure general laboratory policies meet current regulations. Facilitate best practice policy development for the system; may support any learning opportunities or training related to laboratory policy. Assist the laboratory leadership with the management and maintenance of the laboratory's document control application. The QA/QI Coordinator will have a strong understanding of the application and how to navigate and resolve requests.
Quality Project Planning and Improvement: Collaborate with the QA Department and the LSC to participate in the design, development, and implementation of project planning processes. Process Improvement: Lead process improvement activities targeting potential problems across multiple laboratories and hospitals as assigned. Utilize performance improvement methodologies to assist staff in problem solving. In collaboration with the project manager and QA department, develop project plans, allocate resources, and track project progress. Data Analysis: Analyze data and performance metrics to identify areas for improvement and use data-driven insights to guide decision making. Report Generation: Design, compile, and maintain reports, including statistical data, to track progress and outcomes of quality and standardization initiatives.
Bachelor's degree required.
2 years experience in healthcare, process improvement, or quality role required with a degree in a health or science related field OR 3 years experience required with a degree in other field of study.
Must have experience with Microsoft 365 platform.
Understanding of healthcare and laboratory applications preferred.
Must have strong skills in the areas of communication, critical thinking, and time management.
Must be able to collaborate in a variety of team settings both in remote/virtual settings and in person. Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:
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UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran