Quality Assurance Specialist

POSITION PURPOSE:

The Quality Assurance Specialist will assist the Vice President of Professional Services in overseeing and ensuring compliance with all quality assurance processes. The Quality Assurance Specialist is responsible for the overall event management and agency investigation compliance, maintaining adherence to regulatory requirements, and serving as a liaison between the local office and appropriate State agencies for event reporting and investigations. The Quality Assurance Specialist ensures that all processes align with federal, state, and agency policies related to compliance, safety, and risk management. The Quality Assurance Specialist actively participates, facilitates, and contributes to the organization’s ongoing mission to build and strengthen our internal culture with compassion, forward thinking, quality, value and respect for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging to enhance the lives of those we serve.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Participate in the agency’s strategic planning process and facilitate the communication of quality requirements from the appropriate State agencies, the Board of Directors, the Vice President of Professional Services, and the President.
• Ensure that all event reports are accurately documented and submitted to the State office within required timeframes, adhering to agency policy and regulatory mandates.
• Conduct monthly Event Management Committee meetings including a thorough review of investigation findings and implementation of recommended corrective actions.
• Coordinate and oversee the investigation process from initiation to completion. Ensuring adherence to state and federal compliance standards and documenting all findings.
• Conduct Staff Misconduct investigations as needed, ensuring all procedures align with agency policies and regulatory compliance standards while remaining the highest standards of confidentiality.
• Develop and deliver ongoing staff training related to Event Management, Protection from Harm, Compliance Regulations, and New Hire Orientation ensuring training documentation remains up to date and accessible.
• Actively participate in the Agency Quality Team, Safety Committee, and other compliance-related committees as deemed necessary.
• Maintain oversight of all Cross-System Crisis Plans, ensuring compliance with state and federal guidelines.
• Enter each person’s annual, and as needed, outcomes in the EHR. 
• Ensure all psychotropic medication informed consents are completed and documented annually and as needed, adhering to compliance requirements.
• Regularly review and update policies and procedures related to event management, safety, and compliance to align with state and federal regulations.
• Assist in the development and implementation of internal audits and corrective action plans to mitigate risks and enhance agency compliance.
• Complete site visits as required.
• Work a flexible schedule as determined by supervisor.
• Provides services after hours, on weekends, and holidays as scheduled and according to EVC’s On Call Policy.
• Other duties as assigned by the Vice President of Professional Services and President. 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree plus one year of relevant experience; or
• Associate’s degree with two (2) years of relevant experience; or
• High school diploma with four (4) years of relevant experience
• Department of Disabilities and Aging (DDA) designated online training, First Aid and CPR training within the first 90 days of employment, and any other required training.
• Person Centered Thinking Training
• Emory Valley Center Orientation
• Valid Tennessee ID
• DDA Investigator Training

 BEHAVIORS/QUALIFICATIONS FOR SUCCESS:

• Ability to establish a comfortable and supportive relationship with individuals receiving support and their families.
• Ability to maintain effective relationships with other management staff, employees, and the public, demonstrating sensitivity to corporate needs, employee goodwill, and the Company’s public image. Understanding and commitment to person-centered support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Confident and comfortable with public speaking.
• Ability to present facts and recommendations effectively in oral, electronic, and written form.
• Ability to exercise good judgment, responsibility, and independent action.
• Excellent crisis management interpersonal, communication, time management and organizational skills.
• Uphold the strictest of confidentiality and follow the guidelines related to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)/HITECH and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). 
• Utilize Electronic Health Record (EHR) as required for Company operations.
• Proficient in using Microsoft Office.

REPORTING STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES:

This role reports to the Vice President of Professional Services.

The Quality Assurance Specialist does not have any responsibility related to managing staff.

PERFORMANCE APTITUDES:

Data Utilization: Requires the ability to calculate and/or tabulate data; including performing subsequent actions concerning these computational operations.

Human Interaction: Requires the ability to provide guidance, assistance, and/or interpretation to others regarding the application of procedures and standards to specific situations.

Equipment, Machinery, Tools, and Materials Utilization: Requires the ability to operate, maneuver, and/or control the actions of equipment, machinery, tools, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.

Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize a wide variety of references, descriptive, and/or advisory data and information.

Mathematical Aptitude: Requires the ability to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division; the ability to calculate decimals and percentages; the ability to utilize principles of fractions; and the ability to interpret graphs.

Functional Reasoning: Requires the ability to apply principles of rational systems; to interpret instructions furnished in written, oral, diagrammatic, or schedule form; and to exercise independent judgment to adopt or modify methods and standards to meet variations in assigned objectives.

Situational Reasoning: Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness, and creativity in situations involving the evaluation of information against measurable or verifiable criteria.

ADA COMPLIANCE / PHYSICAL DEMANDS ANALYSIS:

Physical Ability: Tasks require the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work, but which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight (5-25 pounds). Tasks may involve extended periods at a keyboard or workstation.

Sensory Requirements: Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate visual cues or signals. 

Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

Environmental Factors: Essential functions are performed in residential, community and office settings and are generally performed without exposure to adverse environmental conditions. However, travel may include changing weather conditions. Additionally, they may be exposed to various medical conditions and communicable diseases.

Physical Demands Analysis

Standing And Walking

Tasks: Copies, getting files, pulling employee files, benefits binders/documentation, etc.

Surface: Floors are hard, may have carpet

Estimated Total Hours: _1-2_ Maximum Continuous Time: _.5-1_

Sitting

Tasks: Data entry, filing benefits, and employee information.

Estimated Total Hours: _8_ Maximum Continuous Times: _8_

Lifting/Carrying

Objects: Files, papers, copy paper, documents, and may occasionally assist with wheelchair transfer of non-ambulatory people.

Pushing/Pulling

Objects: Boxes, chairs, and may occasionally assist with wheelchair transfer of non-ambulatory people.

Frequency: Weekly

Climbing

Tasks: Going to other floors to get files/documents

Device: Stairs

Frequency: Weekly

Bending/Squatting/Kneeling

Tasks: Pulling documents, getting files, getting employee information

Frequency: Hourly

Reaching

Tasks: Filing employee and benefit information and pulling files.

Work Conditions

Work will take place in an office setting and in the community and Emory Valley Center homes/programs.

While performing the duties of the job, travel will be required, and the employee may need to utilize their own vehicle when an agency vehicle is not available. Traveling may expose the employee to changing weather and visibility conditions.

Works a flexible schedule as determined necessary, including additional hours as necessary.