Summary

This position oversees the Infection Prevention program for St. Clair Health across all sites of care.  This key leader will collaborate with executive leadership, medical staff, nursing and ancillary teams to drive optimal performance in reducing hospital acquired infections. The position will also be responsible for overseeing regulatory compliance with all infection prevention, surveillance and reporting requirements.  This individual provides leadership for the Infection Prevention Department team members and collaborates with cross-functional teams to achieve optimal performance in Infection Prevention.

Essential Functions

1. Exemplifies St. Clair Hospital’s Customer Service Behavioral Expectations in all interactions. Treats customers with respect, compassion, and hospitality; anticipates, identifies, and responds to individual needs; makes a positive first impression by acknowledging customers; and demonstrates flexibility while maintaining priorities.
2. Serves as the Infection Prevention Officer for the organization.
3. Facilitates a culture of safety and of continuous improvement to optimize performance in hospital acquired infections.
4. Serves as content expert to executive leadership to advise on all aspects of Infection Prevention.
5. Leads the organization in implementing and hardwiring Infection Prevention and Surveillance best practices.
6. Ensures development of an infection prevention program that consists of an epidemiology-based effective surveillance system and prevention activities specific to the practice setting, the population served, and the continuum of care.
7. Engages system leadership, frontline staff, and medical staff in plans and processes to ensure compliance with regulatory programs (e.g., Pay for Performance [P4P]; and with Joint Commission, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of Health, and other regulatory standards.
8. Monitors publicly reported infection control indicators. Analyzes and reports Hospital findings with local, regional, or national benchmarks and presents reports to appropriate parties.
9. Provides education to Hospital and medical staff leadership and teams in methods of improving care delivery, and achieving patient and organizational infection prevention goals.
10. Collaborates with cross-functional team including Regulatory Affairs & Risk Management, Medical Affairs, Quality Improvement, and Clinical Leadership Groups regarding infection prevention matters.
11. Oversees performance evaluations and job-related competencies. Provides education and promotes continuous learning. 
12. Applies epidemiological principles and statistical methods, including risk stratification to identify target population, analyze trends and risk factors, and design and evaluate prevention strategies.
13. Utilizes a systemic approach to surveillance to monitor the effectiveness of prevention strategies that are consistent with the organization’s goals and objectives.
14. Provides expert knowledge and guidance in epidemiology-and infection prevention -related issues.
15. Serves as an integral component of the plan for improvement of practice and patient outcomes.
16. Systematically evaluates the quality and effectiveness of the infection prevention program.
17. Coordinates and leads the Infection Prevention Committee in collaboration with Medical Director of Infectious Disease and Vice President System Quality Experience Value.
18. Serves on and/or leads committees that facilitate integration and support of infection prevention standards.
19. Seeks opportunities for self-development to maintain professional competency and the knowledge and skills necessary to meet job and program requirement for self and staff.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Master’s degree in a health-related field such as nursing, epidemiology, microbiology or public health or equivalent years of experience.
2. Certification in Infection Control.
3. Five years of progressively more responsible experience in Infection Prevention Management.
4. Ability to apply analytical, epidemiological and statistical methodology to identify areas of opportunity and measure performance.
5. Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Proven experience in establishing strategic priorities and building the infrastructure and team to implement large-scale initiatives.
2. Excellent executive presentation skills.