Risk Coordinator

Good Shepherd Health Care System; Hermiston (OR); On-site; USD 84,989 - 148,272; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Job summary

Good Shepherd Health Care System is seeking a Risk Coordinator to promote patient safety and manage organizational risk. You will coordinate risk management activities, analyze incidents, and work with Patient Relations, insurers, and legal counsel to resolve claims and improve safety across the system.

The role requires a healthcare-related associate degree, CP/CPHRM certification within 3 years, and at least three years of dispute resolution experience in a healthcare setting.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree in a healthcare-related field is required.
• CPHRM or certification within 3 years of hire is required.
• Minimum three years’ experience resolving disputes with the public.
• Knowledge of medical professional liability exposures and health care regulations.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate risk management program and comply with laws and accreditation standards.
• Participate in RCA, FMEA, and quality improvement activities.
• Present risk management issues for discussion and evaluation.
• Direct evidence retention and procedures for special handling.
• Collaborate with Patient Relations to resolve grievances and liaise with insurers.
• Develop and implement policies to reduce overall risk and advise on policy changes.
• Lead, coordinate, and manage investigations of liability exposures and mitigation actions.
• Coordinate with insurers and legal counsel to resolve claims.
• Monitor incident reporting systems and investigate patient harm events.
• Prepare reports/dashboards and present risk data to committees.

Skills

Communication skills

Customer service

Teamwork

Risk management

Dispute resolution

Education

Associate's degree in healthcare-related field

Bachelor's degree

Tools

RLDatix

Job description

Overview

Employer paid benefits: Medical, Dental, and Vision.
Salary: $40.86–$71.40 per hour.
Hours: 40 per week.

The Risk Coordinator reports to the Senior Director of Quality and Patient Safety. This role focuses on utilizing a proactive systems approach to promote patient safety and prevent legal exposure. The Risk Coordinator coordinates the day‑to‑day organization‑wide risk management activities for Good Shepherd Health Care System and assists in developing and maintaining systems to detect, monitor, prevent, organize, measure, investigate, report, and manage patient adverse events, malpractice claims, incident reports, and other indicators of potential patient harm. The Risk Coordinator collaborates with the Patient Relations team to proactively resolve complex clinical grievances. This role also liaises with GSHCS legal counsel and insurance carriers to facilitate claim resolution.

Responsibilities

Clinical Risk and Claims Management

• Coordinates the risk management program to meet the needs of the health care system and complies with state and federal laws and related accreditation standards.
• Participates in activities designed to reduce risk exposure and improve quality and safety of patient care (e.g., Root Cause Analysis (RCA), Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA), and quality improvement teams).
• Acts as a resource person by presenting relevant risk management issues for discussion and evaluation.
• Determines necessity of evidence retention and directs procedures for special handling (including security footage, photographs, alarm data, phone records, equipment logs, etc).
• Collaborates closely with Patient Relations staff to resolve complex clinical grievances, including conversing with patients and families when appropriate, assisting with grievance letter verbiage, and working to resolve grievances before they develop into liability claims.
• Develops and implements policies and procedures that reduce the overall risk of the organization; provides advice on proposed policies and procedures.
• Implements and sustains CANDOR (Communication and Optimal Resolution) to respond to unexpected events in a timely and thorough manner.
• Serves as the organization’s content expert for Oregon State's "Apology Law" and the System-Wide Policy "Unanticipated Outcome or Medical Accident Disclosure".
• Encourages and supports early and transparent reporting of harm events, errors, mistakes, and near misses with no fear of retribution; helps identify and track reporting goals.
• Creates a plan for backup coverage or cross‑training for out of office time.
• Assists in collaboration with internal stakeholders and insurance brokers, including completing applications.
• Initiates, coordinates, and manages all investigational and evaluation activities associated with professional liability occurrences, including coordinating/conducting interviews, researching, reviewing policies and procedures, reviewing electronic medical record documentation and other information sources; analyzes potential and actual professional liability and general liability exposures and evaluates the extent and elements of exposure and recommends appropriate actions for risk mitigation.
• Coordinates with insurance company claim representatives and internal and external legal counsel to successfully manage, mitigate, and resolve claims.

Data Management and Incident Reporting

• In partnership with Quality staff, monitors incident reporting system (RLDatix Risk and Feedback modules) for patient harm events and unanticipated outcomes, and investigates and summarizes incidents, including talking with patients as needed.
• Assists in identifying organizational risk through trend analysis of incidents, reports, etc.
• Assists in preparing reports/dashboards and presenting risk management issues and/or data at various assigned committees.

Additionally

• The employee supports the hospital mission, vision, values, policies, and procedures.
• Participates in required education for DNV programs as applicable to position (reference program education curriculum).
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Education
  Required: Associate’s degree in a healthcare‑related field.
  Preferred: Bachelor’s degree.
• Licenses/ certifications/ registrations
  Required: Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management (CPHRM) or certification within 3 years of hire.
  Preferred: NA.
• Experience
  Required: Three years’ experience working with the public to resolve disputes or equivalent work experience. Knowledge of medical professional liability exposures and laws; effective oral and written communication skills; understanding of health care regulations; customer service techniques; proven ability to work effectively in a team environment with rapidly shifting priorities.
  Preferred: Three to five years’ experience as a clinician (preferred) and/or equivalent work experience in a health care setting.
• OtherNA.

Physical Requirements

The position requires sufficient auditory, visual, and tactile acuity, motor coordination, and the ability to interact with patients, families, and healthcare team members. The role involves frequent stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling when assisting patients or accessing equipment; walking and standing are typically continuous throughout the shift. The position requires the ability to lift to 50 pounds independently and involves frequent pushing, pulling, carrying, or repositioning of objects or patients weighing up to 25 pounds. Occasional lifting or transferring of individuals weighing over 100 pounds may be required, using appropriate lifting techniques and team assistance. The employee may need to sit for long periods of time.

Working Conditions

This position is performed primarily in an indoor healthcare environment, such as a hospital, clinic, or long‑term care facility. The work setting may be subject to variable indoor temperatures and frequent exposure to infectious and contagious diseases, hazardous materials, and medical equipment. The employee must adhere to safety protocols and use personal protective equipment as required. The healthcare environment is fast‑paced and unpredictable, requiring the ability to respond quickly to changing circumstances, including high‑pressure or emergency situations, while managing multiple simultaneous demands and varying levels of noise from medical equipment and patient needs.