The American Heart Association (AHA) has an excellent opportunity for a Quality & Systems Improvement Director (QSI Director) located in our St. Louis, MO office. One of the many ways the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association promote healthier lives is by supporting healthcare professionals' quest for continuous quality improvement. Our suite of quality programs puts up-to-date treatment guidelines, tools and resources to work in hospitals and outpatient practices across the nation.
Get With The Guidelines ® is a program that helps ensure consistent application of the most recent scientific guidelines for heart disease and stroke treatment. Simply put, Get With The Guidelines seeks to ensure that the right patient is getting the right treatment at the right time. Learn more at * www.heart.org/getwiththeguidelines * .
The Missouri Director, Quality and Systems Improvement functions as consultant, account manager and business developer to healthcare organizations on Get With The Guidelines ®. Responsibilities include identifying, securing, cultivating and managing relationships with hospital partners and other key stakeholders with regards to quality improvement; implementing the Get With the Guidelines® hospital based quality improvement program in defined markets to achieve program goals; managing hospital account activities, including retention of current hospital accounts, engaging the medical community with regards to the program; and partnering with state health departments, quality improvement organizations, health plans and other agencies to ensure that our quality improvement initiatives are key priorities within their organizations. The Director will be responsible for building strong relationships and establishing themselves as a quality resource in their market. This is a 2-year full-time assignment, with potential to extend beyond 2 years. #LI-CS1
- Uses a consultative sales approach to introduce, implement, and facilitate all elements of the Get With The Guidelines®, under the supervision of the Senior Director, QSI and/or Vice President, QSI.
- Functions as an educator and advisor to ensure effective implementation and utilization of the AHA’s Get With The Guidelines® clinical registry and performance improvement program, including trouble-shooting and timely follow-up on specific customer issues.
- Works collaboratively with hospitals and other healthcare organizations to promote adherence to AHA’s treatment guidelines, and support progress within the quality improvement continuum to achieve AHA national award recognition.
- Develops and cultivates effective partnerships with hospital leaders and staff to identify and leverage opportunities for improving clinical performance and expand usage of AHA quality programs.
- Identifies, cultivates and maintains key market stakeholder and volunteer relationships impacting program goals such as: hospital systems, EMS providers, hospital associations, Departments of Health, health plans, etc.
- Serves as a resource by demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the benefits of the program and the ability to surmount barriers through a consultative, value added approach.
- Interacts with appropriate affiliate staff and volunteers to leverage opportunities and provide seamless customer relationship management.
- Creates executive level recommendations, communications and presentations based on market and data analysis and research.
- Promotes AHA/TJC cardiovascular accreditations and certifications and AHA’s ambulatory quality suite of programs to potential customers. Address initial inquiries from potential customers.
- Other duties as assigned by the Senior Director, QSI and/or Vice President, QSI.
The position is based in our St. Louis, MO or potential home-based office with primary responsibility for the state of Missouri. The position involves some local travel and occasional overnight travel.
This position is ideal for candidates who have the clinical or business expertise and experience to fully understand the benefits of Get With The Guidelines® and the talent to translate that to practical application within the acute care and outpatient clinical settings.
- Can you get others excited about taking on projects that we know will impact quality care?
- Do you have the natural ability to manage multiple projects while keeping all stakeholders well informed?
- Do you have the tenacity and initiative to drive results in collaboration with partners internally and across the healthcare community?
- Do you thrive on selling ideas and programs to key strategic alliances, professional volunteers, and funding partners and influence them to action?
- Can you use analytical skills to identify customers, build high level relationships, negotiate and execute contracts?
Required qualifications :
- Two years of experience in a professional field such as healthcare, marketing, finance, or business development.
- Two years of clinical nursing experience, sales/marketing, business administration and/or hospital quality improvement experience
- Clear, well developed oral and written communication and presentation skills as well as strong analytic skills.
- Experience managing large-scale projects and management of relationships with external alliances
- Attention to detail and proactive problem-solving capabilities
- Relevant experience with a national clinical quality improvement program that incorporates clinical data capture within a process improvement framework preferred.
- Ability to travel up to 20-30%, primarily in the defined territory. Predominately day travel.
Desired Qualifications:
- Stroke and cardiac care knowledge/experience
- Experience facilitating and managing quality improvement taskforce and/or regional meetings