Duke University Health System Job Description: |
| Job Title: DIRECTOR, PATIENT SAFETY, AMBULATORY | Job Code: 5695 |
| FLSA: E | Pay Target: J2 |
| Date: 02/01/2026 | Supervisory Responsibility: YES |
The Director, Patient Safety, Ambulatory is responsible for establishing and managing a comprehensive patient safety program across all ambulatory care settings. This role provides strategic direction to ensure clinical services consistently meet or exceed the quality and safety standards set by federal and state regulatory agencies and accreditation bodies. The position leads the development of a culture of continuous safety improvement through oversight of patient safety event reporting, timely and thorough safety event investigations, root cause analyses, and implementation of corrective and preventative actions. The Director applies systematic performance improvement methodologies and oversees key initiatives including risk assessments, policy development, regulatory compliance, and enterprise-wide learning from safety events.
Establish and manage the overall ambulatory patient safety program and infrastructure, including appropriate committees, to support provider and clinic engagement in patient safety initiatives across ambulatory care settings.
Provide direction to ensure clinical services meet quality and safety standards established by federal and state agencies and accreditation bodies (e.g., Joint Commission, National Patient Safety Goals).
Lead the development and deployment of a flexible culture of continuous safety improvement using systematic performance improvement methodologies.
Initiate and oversee comprehensive safety improvement programs, including risk assessment, policy and procedure development, and compliance with regulatory and safety standards.
In collaboration with other areas such as Legal, Risk, and Compliance, evaluate and investigate all RCA, FMEA, LFD'S and other organizational risks to ensure peer protection.
Manage the Safety Event Reporting system and structure includes monitoring events and implementing programs by analyzing and trending safety data from safety reporting systems (e.g., RL-6) and sharing information with executive and local leaders.
Serve as a liaison to system-wide safety committees and initiatives to implement and monitor safety measures across ambulatory.
Oversees staff management, including hiring, coaching, performance evaluations, and disciplinary actions.
| Education: | Master's degree in a healthcare field or related discipline is required. |
| Experience: | A minimum of five (5) years of healthcare management experience in healthcare or other applicable experience directly related to patient safety . |
| Degrees, Licensure, and/or Certification: | N/A |
| Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: | Knowledge of Ambulatory patient safety practices, common outpatient risks, and error-prevention strategies. Knowledge of Regulatory and accreditation standards (Joint Commission, CMS, etc.). Knowledge of Safety event reporting systems and data analytics. Leading and facilitating safety investigations (RCA, FMEA) in a multi clinic environment. Communicating effectively with providers, clinic leaders, and executives. Analyzing safety trends and translating findings into improvement initiatives. Developing policies, safety programs, and training materials. Building a culture of safety across diverse ambulatory locations. Driving system-wide improvement efforts using structured methodologies. Collaborating cross-functionally with Legal, Risk, Compliance, and operational teams. Prioritizing safety issues and implement sustainable corrective actions. |
The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.
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