Performance Improvement Coach

At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together.

About Duke University Hospital

Pursue your passion for caring with Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, which is consistently ranked among the best in the United States. The largest of Duke Health's four hospitals with 1062 patient beds, it features comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, including a regional emergency/trauma center, an endo-surgery center, and more.

General Description Of The Job Class

This position provides coaching to multidisciplinary teams in continuous improvement, change management and lean leader behaviors using basic and advanced process improvement principles and thinking. They mentor leaders and facilitators in the execution of daily management system. This is an internal consulting position that will apply continuous improvement (CI) tools and change leadership methodologies to drive specific initiatives and improvement efforts that are critical to safe, timely, effective, equitable patient-centered care and to ensure that strategies are implemented and principles/practices are embedded into daily practice. The Performance Improvement Coach supports the strategy deployment cycle, including the development and deployment of A3s, the study/adjust process and the coaching and education of leaders on strategic A3 thinking. This includes supporting the development of leader standard work for aligning executive through front-line strategy. This position does not directly manage but may provide direction and leadership to leadership teams.

Duties And Responsibilities Of This Level

• Utilizes expertise in improvement methodologies to provide consulting, advisement, support, and direction to Senior Leaders, Process Owners, Directors (or management) and front-line teams to appropriately use data-driven, scientific, problem-solving methodology to identify the correct design and approach for initiatives on continuous improvement, including Value Streams, Kaizen/Rapid Improvement Events, A3 and managing for daily improvement. The Performance Improvement Coach also supports the deployment of the Quality Management System, including teaching, coaching and other support as needed. Teaches and coaches Leaders, Caregivers and Providers on A3 thinking, PDSA, and lean tools and methodologies to effectively identify, address and eliminate process related obstacles and to drive process improvements across the Duke University Health System.
• Advises and coaches leaders at various levels within the organization on lean leadership skills required to lead in a participative, team-oriented culture.
• Creates and administers internal education on continuous improvement to all levels of the organization. Identifies areas in need of on-going training. Assists is the development of curriculum tools and supporting materials, including training to support Duke's lean initiatives.
• Partners with leadership in analysis of processes across the organization, identifies gaps in the process, determines impact to the organization, recommends and coaches action plans and timeline to address issues.
• Independently facilitates continuous improvement teams, follows up on action plans, and assists all assigned teams as needed to ensure improvements are made and sustained.
• Builds relationships with leaders and stakeholders to manage effective processes and programs to improve the value of the patient care experience, reduce waste and ensure compliance according to established standards and measures.
• Tracks all changes/improvements made. Monitors key metrics across assigned lean initiatives to review past, current and future performance of processes.
• Acts as a change agent in a fast paced and "ever changing" environment leveraging his/her strong interpersonal skills.
• Supports the deployment of a focused daily management system throughout DUHS to help leaders ensure the adoption and implementation of improvements into the daily operations and culture of the organization, preventing regression back to prior methods and beliefs.
• May perform additional duties of similar complexity within the organization, as required or assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Possess a Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution in Business, Healthcare Engineering or a Health-related field (Nursing, Allied Health, Public Health) or equivalent.

Experience

Minimum of six (6) years of experience in performance improvement or process engineering, preferably in a healthcare environment, or a combination of experience and education in Business, Healthcare engineering, or a health-related field (nursing, allied health, public health).

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Successful, data-driven track record in redesign and/or implementation efforts in the areas of clinical performance improvement
• Knowledge and experience in successfully training and implementing lean tools and principles.
• Demonstrated skills in coaching, consulting, group process facilitation, whole system design, negotiation, change management and conflict resolution, supporting change within large, complex environments
• Demonstrated ability to partner with medical staff leaders, such as a medical directors or the Chief Medical Officer
• Demonstrated experience influencing, managing and coaching in a matrixed organization that includes many learners, including nurses, providers, caregivers and consumers
• Proficient in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint skills and ability to independently produce documents or aptitude to develop this level of skill within a defined period of time
• Flexible, positive, clear interpersonal and communication skills with ability to facilitate the exchange of information within clients and the organization
• Analytical skills related to independently interpreting, preparing and analyzing data, LOS information, comparisons with relevant federal and/or other performance-based data

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends onthe robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.