We’re a dedicated team within Quality and Patient Safety at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital, leading innovative, collaborative efforts to improve behavioral health care. With autonomy and purpose, we drive meaningful change, share our work at conferences, and stay committed to excellence and lasting impact.

The Patient Safety Specialist is responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring of hospital-wide patient safety program.

Responsibilities:

Education & Culture

Provide ongoing patient safety training to staff. Promote a culture of safety throughout the organization. In collaboration with hospital leadership and hospital councils/committees, focus on the workplace violence initiatives and staff injury prevention initiatives. 

Risk Assessment

Investigate safety risks through rounds, reviews, and inspections. Analyze incidents, identify trends, and recommend actions.

Compliance

Implement safety plans and national goals. Ensure adherence to federal and state regulations. Assist with analyzing workplace violence incidents including patients and staff; support the RCA and event review process.

Legal & Documentation

Maintain confidential safety and legal files. Assist legal counsel with case preparation. Communicate significant events and potential claims promptly. Complete staff injury follow-ups as assigned. 

Improvement & Collaboration

Support performance improvement through data analysis. Collaborate with team members to meet goals. Participate in on-call rotation for safety event awareness. Assists Clinical Staff with difficult patients; problem solve, behavior planning etc. to all the inpatient units.