Clinical Risk Lead

Michael Garron Hospital; Toronto; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Clinical Risk Lead to enhance patient safety and manage risk across the organization. This pivotal role involves collaborating with various teams to identify and mitigate risks, ensuring compliance with regulations, and leading improvement projects. The ideal candidate will leverage their clinical expertise and leadership skills to foster a culture of safety and proactive risk management. Join a dedicated team committed to delivering high-quality healthcare and making a significant impact on patient outcomes. If you're passionate about risk management and patient safety, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Benefits

Health benefits

Retirement savings plan

Professional development opportunities

Flexible work hours

Employee wellness programs

Qualifications

• 3+ years in health care risk management or quality management required.
• Experience in clinical risk management preferred.
• Knowledge of Canadian Incident Analysis Framework is essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead risk management initiatives and provide expert consultation.
• Manage liability claims and collaborate with internal stakeholders.
• Develop and implement risk mitigation strategies.

Skills

Clinical Risk Management

Patient Safety

Data Analysis

Project Management

Communication Skills

Problem-Solving

Education

Undergraduate degree in a regulated health discipline

Registered Nurse

Healthcare Risk Management Diploma or Certification

Tools

Excel

Access

PowerPoint

HIROC Risk Register

Job description

OVERVIEW

The Clinical Risk Lead is responsible for supporting the organization’s risk management program, providing guidance in alignment with the hospital's strategic plan, current legislation, and applicable standards. Responsibilities include fostering a culture of compliance and clinical risk identification/management by supporting staff in proactive risk mitigation activities, advising on clinical and operational risk matters, supporting hospital interactions with law enforcement, managing the liability and property insurance claims process, and leading reviews to minimize risk.

This role specifically works with and leads various improvement projects, and can provide relevant data analysis, project management, and logistical support. They will use their clinical expertise to work collaboratively with the risk management and quality and patient safety teams, senior leadership, directors, managers, front-line staff, and various internal and external stakeholders across all MGH to address risk management issues and implement organization-wide policies and other initiatives to promote patient safety and mitigate risk.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Risk Management and Patient Safety:
- Responds daily to organization-wide risk requests to provide expert consultation and advice on a wide variety of patient care, policy and administrative matters with internal constituents including senior leaders, managers, physicians, clinical staff, corporate support departments, and patient safety.
- Advise on matters of a complex medical-legal nature including challenging patient/family issues, consent/capacity issues, and decision-making, while working closely with the Office of Patient and Family Experience and Clinical leaders.
- Act as a Hospital liaison for law enforcement matters, supporting interactions between the hospital and law enforcement.
- Support the hospital’s response in investigations by regulatory bodies, including health professional colleges.
- Provide risk consultation to develop and revise policies, and procedures and select Emergency Response Codes to avoid and/or control risk, in collaboration with the Emergency Preparedness leads.
- Provides onsite leadership at select emergency codes and unplanned infrastructure disruptions to ensure effective communication, response, and return to business operations.
- Executes an effective response to external sources of risk identification e.g., Coroner’s requests, jury recommendations, regulatory college complaints, product hazard and recall notifications and lookbacks, etc.
- Participates in and/or leads key risk and patient safety-related committees i.e. Police-Hospital Liaison Committee and participates in select corporate-level committees as a Risk Management representative.
- Advises, develops and implements Failure Model Effects Analysis (FMEA), Root Cause Analysis, and other risk management tools to advance the quality of care and minimize organizational risk.
- Designs and facilitates education in support of risk standards and ensures transfer of knowledge through follow-up, evaluation, and sustainability planning.
- Develops projects, process improvements, and action plans in collaboration with unit-level leadership to address gaps identified through risk management, incident trend analysis, and partnership with various stakeholders.
- Consultation and partnership with Patient Relations.

Claims Management:
- Leads the identification and management of potential and actual professional liability, malpractice, and personal injury claims.
- Leads investigations of claims with hospital adjuster and legal counsel; represents hospital at Examinations for Discovery; supports and guides staff defendants, their managers, and others through the legal process.

ERM:
- Supports the organization’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program through engagement with leaders regarding new and existing enterprise risks, mitigation strategies, and implementation of controls.
- Utilizes the HIROC ERM Risk Register application to ensure accurate documentation of risk assessment, progress, and action planning related to organizational risks.

Risk Mitigation:
- Ensures the annual completion by all stakeholders of the Risk Assessment Checklists (RAC) required by the hospital’s Insurer, HIROC, and tracking follow-up action.
- Assesses, identifies, and mitigates risk associated with select planned high-risk shutdowns of services or utilities and select facilities renewal projects, by providing high-level guidance on effective contingency planning with stakeholders.
- Identifies and mitigates risk at every opportunity with a focus on improving patient, staff, and public safety.
- Ensures appropriate actions are taken to address identified deficiencies/areas for improvement.
- Partners with internal and external stakeholders to maximize opportunities for collaboration and integration of best practices and ensure the hospital’s risk management processes are based on best practices and meet legal and regulatory requirements.
- Monitors and ensures compliance throughout the organization, including but not limited to specific initiatives related to risk.
- Collaborates with key stakeholders in the development of policies, procedures, and application of best practices affecting risk management and contingency planning.
- Seeks to protect and enhance the Hospital's ability to achieve strategic priorities.

Day to Day Operations:
- Oversees the day-to-day operations of the organizational risk management, including development of relevant policies and procedures with key stakeholders to guide practices.
- Coaches and mentors staff and managers with regards to organizational risk management.
- Seeks and manages external consulting arrangements including legal counsel and claims adjustors.
- Fosters an environment that values innovation.
- Ensures integration of the Occupational Health and Safety and Quality and Patient Safety initiatives.
- Acts as primary investigator for patient incident investigations where significant liability exists.

EDUCATION

- Undergraduate degree in a regulated health discipline; registration in good standing with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) required.
- Registered Nurse required.
- 3+ years in a health care risk management, patient safety, or quality management role and/or combined clinical experience is required.
- Experience in clinical risk management preferred.
- Formal training or certification in Patient Safety and/or Quality Improvement preferred.
- Healthcare Risk Management Diploma or Certification from an applicable program completed or in progress (e.g. Accreditation Canada, OHA, HIROC, Osgoode School of Law, etc.) is considered an asset.

QUALIFICATIONS

- 2-5 years clinical experience minimum.
- 5+ years in a health care risk management, patient safety, or quality management role and/or combined clinical experience required.
- Knowledge of the Canadian Incident Analysis Framework.
- Previous experience with online RL incident reporting programs, electronic patient charts, HIROC Risk Register an asset.
- Demonstrated experience in progressive leadership responsibilities in the field of nursing or healthcare.
- Demonstrated ability to lead effective change management.
- Advanced problem-solving and data analytic skills with excellent attention to detail.
- Experienced with data visualization and presentation using Excel, Access, PowerPoint, etc.
- Excellent written and verbal communication; a strong listener, speaker, and presenter with experience in facilitating groups.
- Effective organizational and time management skills, with the ability to maintain flexibility, prioritize workload, and remain detail-oriented in the face of changing priorities.
- Demonstrated ability to be reflective with the openness to learn new perspectives.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with demonstrated ability to develop trusting, credible relationships with all levels of staff, physicians, and volunteers.
- Ability to deal with multiple complex issues and manage multiple priorities.
- Strong interpersonal skills; ability to interact with front-line staff, physicians, and senior team.
- Experience in managing multiple concurrent project types in various stages of development.
- Sound judgment, broad understanding, and an inclusive approach to building consensus, solving problems, and relationship building.
- Good work and attendance record required.
- All employees of Michael Garron Hospital (MGH), a division of Toronto East Health Network (TEHN) [formerly Toronto East General Hospital (TEGH)] agree to work within the legislated practices of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Ontario.
- All employees of MGH are responsible to contribute to a transparent culture of patient and staff safety by adhering to and abiding by patient and staff safety policies and procedures set by MGH.
- All employees are accountable for protecting the psychological health and safety of themselves and their co-workers through adherence to MGH's policies and practices.