Hospital Investigator

DEPT OF HEALTH SERVICES

The Arizona State Hospital (ASH) provides inpatient psychiatric care to persons with serious mental illness who need long-term behavioral health care. ASH promotes hope and wellness for our patients and creates opportunities to participate in planning, delivering and evaluating services that assist with recovery. Treatment is individualized with goals that focus on education about an illness, instilling hope and improving one's overall quality of life.

The Arizona State Hospital has a wide range of positions available, from our direct care staff, Nurses and Behavioral Health Technicians to Social Workers, Rehabilitation Specialist and Security to name a few. The Arizona State Hospital also offers 12 hour shifts for our Direct Care staff as well as some alternative work schedules, flexible hours for non-direct care staff. We offer a robust benefit package, including the ADHS Student Loan Assistance Program where eligible employees can receive up to $437.50 per month for their outstanding student loans.

Come check us out and see how you can make a difference in the lives of all Arizonans.

ARIZONA STATE HOSPITAL

Address: 150 N. 24th Street Phoenix, AZ 85008

Salary: $56,500

Grade: 20

Closing Date:
Open Until Filled

The Hospital Investigator position serves as an internal investigator for the Arizona State Hospital (ASH). This position conducts complex, high-visibility, and legally sensitive investigations related to allegations of patient right violations or compliance concerns. The Hospital Investigator handles complaint investigations in accordance with regulatory requirements from the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) Medical Facilities Licensing, Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

This position also investigates allegations of rights violations related to behavioral health services for patients determined to have a serious mental illness (SMI), in accordance with Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) Title 9, Chapter 21. The Hospital Investigator prepares a written report of their findings at the conclusion of their investigation for presentation to the Complaint, Grievance and Appeal Committee, keeping in accordance with time frames established in the AAC Title 9 Chapter 21 and Hospital policy.

This position will also assist in the mediation of SMI appeals associated with a patients behavioral health services in accordance with AAC Title 9 Chapter 21. As applicable, this position may testify at administrative hearings as an official witness. The Hospital Investigator may perform compliance reviews as related to regulatory issues according to local, state and federal regulations. This position will perform audits based upon the findings from the complaints, SMI grievances or compliance reviews.

This position works closely with the Hospital Patient Right Advocate, Hospital direct care staff, Hospital Leadership, ADOA Ombudsman, patients, patient guardians, contractors, and when applicable, outside agencies. This position will also assist with complaint investigations and/or surveys by the ADHS Medical Division of Licensing, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Joint Commission.

• Serve as a subject matter expert in dispute resolution, clinical communication, and risk mitigation, conducting objective, thorough end-to-end investigations while safeguarding patient rights and organizational integrity. Conducts interviews of witnesses, staff, patients, and other relevant individuals; reviews and processes data, documents, and medical records; drafts investigation reports, decision letters, appendixes, and maintains case file; maintains strict compliance with CMS regulations, Joint Commission standards, and state health department guidelines regarding grievance response timelines.
• Perform complex internal audits to identify systemic operational vulnerabilities, clinical trends, and recurrent risk areas in accordance with regulatory requirements of the ADHS Medical Facilities Licensing, Joint Commission and CMS. Audits will include partnering Medical, Nursing and Clinical Leadership as Compliance, Quality, Legal and Health Records Departments to gather evidence, interview staff/patients, review of prior deficiencies, tracer activities, Hospital policy review, and patient chart reviews.
  
  Detailed audit report will be drafted with presentation of actionable findings in both…