A quality improvement manager in healthcare is a health care professional that works to improve patient care, patient safety, and patient outcomes, and works to make policy and process improvements to promote healthcare at the highest level. Responsibilities include decreasing healthcare acquired infections (HAI), working to improve policies and procedures throughout the healthcare organization, as well as run programs that focus on operational efficiency and consistency. Quality improvement managers may be employed by clinics, hospitals, and healthcare companies, and other healthcare organizations. They may work as a quality manager in the field with hospital staff or they may work in offices handling programs, documentation and administrative duties to help meet organizational goals.
Quality management workers focus on quality control and healthcare initiatives that drive major changes in healthcare improvements within the healthcare industry. Quality improvement (QI) programs reflect the National Quality Strategy’s goal is to improve quality of health and healthcare in the United States through their three aims: better care, healthy people and communities, and affordable care. These goals are met through improving patient engagement, clinical workflows of healthcare workers, and use of mobile technology integration in the healthcare system. Quality improvement management also works to improve quality standards through communication, controlling patient costs, decreasing HAI cases and improving patient outcomes. A quality improvement manager is at the forefront of innovation and change in the healthcare system.
Basic Job Responsibilities of a Quality Improvement Manager
A QI manager participates in departmental, agency or hospital risk, safety, quality, and committee meetings. These quality management workers may assist internal attorneys with claims and litigation. There may be involvement with billing, insurance and patient case management. They collaborate with and communicate with managers to identify quality problems that must be improved and communicate with other managers to ensure that problems are properly identified, documented and resolved. They assist with training staff that are responsible for safety and quality care. Quality managers participate in continuing education to grow professionally and maintain licensure and certification requirements.
Those working in quality management review and revise existing policies and procedures. They must successfully implement process improvement and quality management programs that ensure reporting errors in a timely fashion. They establish work plan metrics and pursue data collection methods for accurate trending reports. The quality improvement manager may analyze performance metrics related to top diagnoses, clinical procedures and operational performance in order to recommend valid solutions. They may focus on clinical prioritization, service quality, provider and patient feedback and improvement initiatives.
Quality management workers may work with quality directors, committees and work groups to drive desired outcomes. These could be based on service contracts, staff education and accreditation requirements. Quality improvement managers may act as knowledge experts for continuous improvement activities in all clinical, functional and administrative areas. They monitor various department processes, such as care complaints and medical record assessments, in order to recommend actions to address any risks or vulnerabilities. They regularly review clinical quality studies, trended industry data, national benchmark assessments and best practice interventions.
Quality improvement managers have a variety of interesting and challenging duties. These professionals assess and process personnel and performance data and compare with current practices and information to form a plan for quality improvement recommendations This may involve surveying patients, employees, and the general public. These quality improvement managers oversee and ensure compliance with state and federal standards, as well as those of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO). Preparing and reporting to these agencies and making corrections required is part of quality improvements. Designing and executing training to enhance risk management and quality improvement in healthcare is all part of a quality management system that is working toward improvement in healthcare services. The healthcare quality improvement manager prepares formal responses as well as quality and risk management reports for administrators and regulatory agencies.
Unique Job Duties in Quality Improvement Healthcare Jobs
Some quality improvement managers work with specific programs or initiatives. For example, they may supervise and support the effectiveness of employee-driven quality improvement teams. They may supervise departmental and interdisciplinary committees who establish, measure and report on quality progress and performance priorities. Some quality improvement managers spend most of their time developing and running workshops and training seminars to health care providers and leaders. They may provide technical assistance and administrative advice to hospital executives.
Some quality improvement managers work closely with IT personnel and healthcare informatics technicians. Together they track and analyze information in order to formulate strategies, ensure regulatory readiness and grade quality outcomes. Some quality improvement managers will focus on understanding behaviors and knowledge through member interviews, focus groups and outreach interventions. Some quality improvement managers only deal with policies and procedures designed to increase provider compliance, practice guideline clarity and healthcare consumer satisfaction levels.
Expected Experience for a Healthcare QI Manager
A quality improvement manager in healthcare will need a bachelor’s or master’s degree in health care policy, management or business administration.
Employers will expect quality improvement managers to have at least five years of health care experience. They should have practical knowledge of quality management methods and their functional applications at various hospital levels. Quality improvement managers must be capable of providing engaging education opportunities to healthcare providers. They must be able to translate quality issues, data outcomes and industry standards into understandable, user friendly terms.
They must be good at recommending strategies to improve compliance, streamline program activities, implement change management and address inappropriate and unproductive attitudes. They should be familiar with standard quality improvement tools like Six Sigma, root cause analysis and statistical process control. Employers will expect quality improvement managers to be able to perform a wide range of technical duties related to big data analysis, health care informatics and billing cycle data.
What particular skills does someone in quality management in 
healthcare need?
Those entering the field of QI in healthcare enter with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, and some also are licensed healthcare professionals who make clinical decisions, such as a registered nurse or physician. Many senior quality improvement managers may have an increased education level by earning their master’s degree from a degree program with a solid background in health care management, business administration or healthcare administration.
In addition to education from a degree program, all quality management professionals in health care services have experience and knowledge of all those tasks typical in any healthcare facility and have an understanding of standard practices in healthcare and in infection control that lead to quality assurance. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC.gov), these important workers in total quality management must stay well-informed of current health issues and topics related to quality improvement in healthcare.
Being a great communicator is an important skill in this profession. Being an ineffective communicator in this field can result in inaccurate information being communicated, poor patient outcomes and overall operational efficiency, and even the possibility of injuries or worse. Being an excellent communicator can be key in quality healthcare improvements.
This profession requires workers to have the ability to organize data, assess patient care services, and know healthcare laws, standards and regulations as it relates to quality improvement within the healthcare setting to improve patient outcomes. Along with knowledge and skills, professionals in quality management should have top communication skills to interact and influence those they must collaborate with, such as administrators.
Is there a certification for Healthcare Quality Improvement managers?
Quality management professionals in healthcare organizations may wish to attain the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ) Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) professional certification. This certification is the only accredited certification in the field of healthcare quality. This certification seeks to validate a healthcare quality improvement manager’s knowledge of healthcare quality practices and competencies.
How much does a Healthcare Quality Improvement Manager make?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical and Health Services Managers’ median income in 2021 was $101,340. This means half of all of these medical care workers made more than this amount, and half made less. Salaries vary by experience and location, as well as employer.
What is the job outlook for this position?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a robust Job Outlook in this field. Employment of medical and health services managers working in quality management that have completed a degree program is projected to grow a whopping 32 percent between 2020 and 2030, which is much faster than average for all occupations. Healthcare as a whole is experiencing robust growth, and medical and health services managers is part of that growth. Many of the expected job openings will result from replacing workers who change occupations or exit the work force.
What is the professional organization for this line of work?
The American Health Quality Association (AHQA) is dedicated to promoting and facilitating change that aims to improve healthcare quality and patient safety in the United States. AHQA works to improve healthcare and patient safety and care by working with healthcare providers, healthcare regulators and lawmakers, and consumers to advocate its policies as well as gain support for the goals of its membership. This organization serves its members by providing educational and networking opportunities through conferences, webinars, professional networks and workgroups.
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MPH Staff
Updated July 2022