Certified Investigator

Description

The Certified Investigator manages Verland’s incidents in accordance with federal, state, and regional regulations, and agency practices to recognize, report and investigate incidents. Interprets guidelines for incidents and collaborates on incident management policies and procedures development. Provides education, guidance, and training to employees regarding incident management processes and reporting. Engages in Administrative Reviews and Certified Investigation Peer Reviews to ensure processes meet regulatory standards and uphold the requisites of speed, objectivity, and thoroughness of certified investigations.

Responsible for incident management of incidents reported internally through the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. Tracks monthly incident data. Collaborates in continuous quality improvement efforts as part of agency’s Quality Plan and agency’s risk mitigation efforts. This is a salaried, exempt full-time position.

• Promotes the health, safety, rights, and well-being of the individuals receiving services and seeks to enhance their dignity by the elimination of recurring and/or preventable incidents.
• Conducts certified investigations in compliance with PA Office of Development Program (ODP) and CMS regulations to maintain speed, objectivity, thoroughness, and timeliness of investigations.
• Attends to all reportable data entry in the Enterprise Incident Management System (EIM) in compliance with regulations with accuracy and timeliness.
• Responsible for completing investigations including, but not limited to, securing evidence, obtaining witness statements and interviews, retrieving information from electronic surveillance, reviewing staff schedules, compiling information from the agency’s EHR system, and developing a chronological summary of factual findings from occurrence to closure.
• Complies with required incident management reporting time frames, ensuring incidents are filed, finalized and/or extended according to the timelines set forth by regulatory and agency standards to maintain speed, objectivity, and thoroughness.
• Responsible for incident management of incidents reported internally through the EHR system to play a lead role in managing accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of data entry and sign offs. The incumbent champions management of an incident by facilitating discussions on why an incident occurred, what was done immediately, and how the reoccurrence can be prevented.
• Ensures the in-services are completed with immediacy and are maintained on file.
• Maintains knowledge of incident management regulations (federal, state, and regional), manuals, bulletins, other published protocols, guidance and reference materials, and the state reporting systems. Communicates changes and develops and revises policy and/or procedures accordingly.
• Provides orientation and training for staff to enable them to respond to, report and, where possible, prevent incidents. Provides ongoing training on the recognition and reporting of abuse and neglect incidents. Assists in the training of new Incident Management staff.
• Assists with obtaining documentation for corrective actions for all certified investigations with respective department managers and ensures completion of corrective actions within required time frames. Ensures completion of certified investigation hard copy files maintained on-site.
• Acts as the liaison to protective services, law enforcement, and state and/or county personnel when required. Responds to questions from leadership, staff, and family members related to incidents as necessary.
• Engages in quarterly Certified Investigation Peer Reviews to build systemic capacity and to enhance the quality of certified investigations.
• Supports incident…