- The Clinical Risk Manager supports Emory Healthcare's system-wide risk management and patient safety programs by identifying, investigating, and mitigating clinical and operational risks across all care settings
- This role leads the disclosure and apology process for serious adverse events, collaborates with clinical and operational leaders to reduce harm, and ensures compliance with regulatory and accreditation requirements
- The position develops and maintains risk reduction strategies, policies, and education; analyzes safety and claims trends; and provides expert consultation on potential liability and patient safety concerns
- The role also participates in committees, supports regulatory reporting and product/device safety, and provides 24/7 on-call support for urgent safety issues
- Risk Identification & Mitigation:
- Lead and manage the system-wide clinical risk management program, assessing institutional risks, adverse events, and near misses
- Investigate and analyze actual and potential risks; recommend and implement mitigation and loss prevention strategies
- Manage and evaluate safety and claims trend data to minimize economic and patient impact
- Event Response & Disclosure:
- Coordinate and coach teams through the disclosure and apology process following serious adverse events
- Ensure timely internal investigations, notifications to claims, and follow-up actions aligned with just culture principles
- Serve as a primary advisor to providers and leaders on incident response, potential claims, and legal exposure
- Policy, Compliance & Regulatory Oversight:
- Develop, review, and revise risk management and patient safety policies to ensure compliance with federal, state, and accreditation standards
- Monitor regulatory updates and communicate requirements to leadership and medical staff
- Reporting to state and federal agencies, as needed
- Education, Consultation & Culture Building:
- Design and deliver system-wide education on risk management, disclosure, and patient safety topics
- Promote a culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous learning consistent with Emory's Care Transformation Model and just culture framework
- Serve as a consultant to departments, providers, and claims/legal teams on risk reduction and patient safety strategies
- Collaboration, Leadership & Operational Support:
- Partner with Quality, Patient Safety, Legal, Compliance, Public Safety, Clinical and Operational leaders to align risk management goals with system priorities
- Actively participate in system committees and initiatives to strengthen patient safety and risk prevention
- Provide 24/7 on-call coverage and support for urgent clinical and non-clinical safety issues across all EHC entities
- Additional Duties as Assigned
- Travel: Travel between Operating Units or Emory affiliated locations
- Work Type: Hybrid employee - splits time between working remotely and working in the office.
MINIMUM REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Education - BSN, MBA/MPHA or a JD
- Experience - Minimum of 3 years of healthcare experience
- Licensure - If Registered Nurse with BSN, must be a graduate of an accredited nursing program and must have a valid, active unencumbered Nursing license approved by the Georgia Licensing Board
- Knowledge, skills, and abilities (required):
- Clinical Risk Management Expertise - Knowledge of patient safety principles, event investigation, disclosure and apology practices, and just culture frameworks
- Regulatory & Medical-Legal Knowledge - Understanding of state/federal regulations, accreditation standards (e.g., Joint Commission), safe medical device reporting, and medical-legal risk concepts
- Analytical & Critical Thinking Skills - Ability to assess adverse events, interpret safety and claims data, identify trends, and recommend effective risk mitigation strategies
- Strong Communication & Facilitation Skills - Ability to coach providers through difficult conversations, lead multidisciplinary reviews, and prepare clear documentation and reports
- Collaboration & Relationship-Building - Skilled in working with physicians, clinical and operational leaders, Quality & Patient Safety, Legal, and external agencies
- Organizational & Operational Skills - Ability to manage multiple high-risk events, investigations, regulatory deadlines, and system-wide initiatives concurrently
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience - Previous healthcare risk management or professional liability experience
- Certification - Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management (CPHRM) or eligibility to obtain certification
- Preferred Skills, Abilities, & Knowledge:
- Experience with healthcare incident reporting and claims management systems (e.g., RLDatix, RiskMaster, Press Ganey HRP)
- Demonstrated experience conducting complex adverse event investigations, root cause analyses, or patient safety review
- Prior leadership or committee participation in patient safety, quality improvement, or risk management programs
- Experience collaborating with legal counsel and applying medical-legal principles in clinical settings
JOIN OUR TEAM TODAY! Emory Healthcare (EHC), part of Emory University (EUV), is the most comprehensive academic health system in Georgia and the first and only in Georgia with a Magnet® designated ambulatory practice. We are made up of 11 hospitals-4 Magnet® designated, the Emory Clinic, and more than 425 provider locations. The Emory Healthcare Network, established in 2011, is the largest clinically integrated network in Georgia, with more than 3,450 physicians concentrating in 70 different subspecialties.